


Fleur Noir

by Ysavvryl



Category: Pocket Monsters: X & Y | Pokemon X & Y Versions
Genre: Dark is not Evil, Death, Disturbing Themes, Friendship, Gen, Magic School, Pokemon School
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-07
Updated: 2016-06-08
Packaged: 2018-05-31 18:00:47
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 35
Words: 207,716
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6481078
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ysavvryl/pseuds/Ysavvryl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Glitter and shine, lovely Kalos<br/>Show me your dark and bloody heart.</p><p>On the surface, it all seemed simple and beautiful.  Calem was troubled by moving to Kalos from far away, then bewildered when he was accepted by the prestigious Lumiose Magic Academy.  But this was the chance of a lifetime and he found some new friends quickly, including a strange little fairy with a black flower.  Only, something dark lurked beneath the shining lights.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Pop Quiz

_How should I begin? It's a long story and people tend to talk only about the big event. But really, if I started with that, you wouldn't really understand how I felt or what I was doing. Or even what was going on, because so much was not what it seemed. To understand all that, events of the years before that time should be told._

_I suppose the best place to start is the day I moved into the old house in Vaniville, when I was eleven. That was the first time I had been in Kalos ever, having moved in from across the ocean. While I thought the move alone was a huge change, an even bigger disruption to my life was waiting for its change to spring at me._

It was not the right time of day. The sun was in the wrong place. The air wasn't right. The house wasn't right. Even the bed wasn't right. All in all, it was the feeling over being thrown totally out of place, nothing familiar, everything new... it was jet lag.

“Tweeeeeetwitwitwitwiiiii!” a cheery Pokemon chirp came from the window.

“Nurrggaah,” Calem replied, trying for a moment to cover his ears with the pillow. But the Pokemon kept singing away. Resigning to put off his nap, he slapped the pillow aside and sat up to look around the room. It was unnervingly empty, not even filled with boxes. There was a pink wall filled with orange shelves and drawers, a whole line of storage with nothing inside but some replacement screws. And the bed he was on had floral patterned yellow sheets that had been on when he arrived. Awfully bright and girly; he'd need to change that before anyone outside his family came to see this.

Because this was his room and he was not going to have people think he was secretly girly.

His room. It was something he had yet to convince himself that it was real. His room was half a world away. And this, it wasn't settled in his mind as the replacement. But he had to accept it. They'd already moved out here and there was no going back. Getting it repainted would help it feel more like his. Maybe dark blue and gray. Or white and green, just anything but this arrangement of pink, orange, and yellow.

Something bugged him, like he was being watched. He looked over at the window and for a moment, he thought he saw a black flower sitting on his windowsill. But as soon as he blinked, it was gone. “Calem?” His father's voice boomed and echoed through the empty halls, along with many footsteps.

“I'm up,” he said, getting to his feet. “Not that I want to be,” he added in a mutter.

“Skkkkkzza.” A red blur zoomed through the doorway, followed by a loud clank as a Scizor landed with some boxes.

“Thanks,” he said to his father's Pokémon.

A moment later, his father showed up in the doorway, packing a smaller box. He was a tall lanky man in every way; even his straight black hair fit 'lanky'. “Sorry, I know it's been a rough move,” he said, putting the box on top of the others. “But there's some kids your age gathering in the center of town. Good thing; I wasn't sure how many friends you could make in a tiny town like this. Want to go see what's up and meet your neighbors?”

Calem scratched his head. He wouldn't mind it so much if he hadn't just tried to lay down for a nap. Now he was wearing down from the constant activity and traveling for many hours. “Guess it couldn't hurt.” Unless he was imaging things with that black flower. Then it might be trouble.

“Make sure you put on some fresh clothes and brush your hair,” his mother said as she walked by.

“Okay Mom,” he said, getting out of bed.

“This should be your clothes,” his father said. “Don't worry, we'll handle sorting the boxes. Mary! Where's the holocaster?” He walked out, followed by his Scizor.

Calem stretched as he listened to his parents. “You were the one who packed it, weren't you? It should have filed under electronics. But I'd like to get the kitchen set up first.”

“I was hoping to tune in to the local news.” Meanwhile, Calem opened up the box and grabbed the first change of clothes he could reach: dark jeans, black shirt, blue jacket. His shoes from earlier, kicked against the wall, would be fine.

“It's early afternoon here, so it might not be on unless you get the dedicated news channel for Kalos.”

Right, afternoon when he was used to it being early in the morning. Grumbling about jet lag, he brushed down his hair with his hands, figuring that was good enough under a baseball cap. Maybe he should have taken a nap like his parents had during the flight (he'd been too engrossed in a video game, _Ash Kicksbutt the Tyrogue in the Lost Temple of Doom_ ) “Hope the locals are friendly,” he said to himself.

“Oh, Calem?” His mother caught him at the bottom of the stairs. A Machoke from the moving company was working near her. “Could you pick up a newspaper while you're out? I'm not sure how much it'll be, but this should cover it.” She passed him a few bills of Poke.

It was a bit much for just a newspaper, unless such things were absurdly expensive over here. “Sure thing,” Calem said, accepting it and tucking the money into his jacket pocket.

“Thanks! And be sure to be nice to any cute girls you might meet. You never know.” She winked and headed off to sort things in the kitchen. Calem simply rolled his eyes as he grabbed his bag and left the house.

So, this was Kalos. It was totally the wrong time of day, his mind complained; he didn't have enough sleep to run on. But, a quick chat with his new neighbors shouldn't take long. To be honest, he was glad that there would be other teenagers around. His first impression of Vaniville was of a pretty but old town, filled with heirloom gardens surrounded by stone fences. Classy yet low key. It took money or inheritance to be here, he would guess. Inheritance in his case, although he would rather have his great-grandmother back. On his first impression, he thought the people here would be older, without many kids.

Not far from their new house, there was a town garden filled with all sorts of flowers. Due to it being late summer, the flowerbeds were more green than anything, although there were still many colorful flowers that he wasn't sure what to call. No black ones; he must have been imagining things. A number of teenagers and pre-teens were gathered around those gardens, talking in their various clique clusters. On watching them a few minutes, Calem had second thoughts on introducing himself; something was going on and he wasn't sure if he needed to be invited. Since he'd been asked to buy a paper, he looked around to see where he might find one.

A short girl in pigtails came running down one of the cobblestone streets. “There you all are!” she called. “Things are getting started and you're going to be late if you don't come. Come on, come on!” The groups began heading down the path she had come from. Calem tried to pass through to find a newspaper box, but the girl spotted him and grabbed his arm. “Yeah, you too!”

“I guess, but what's...” he wanted to know what was happening, but the pigtailed girl nodded at his second word and ran back the way she had come. Maybe this didn't need an invitation. He scratched his head, then followed after the others.

“You don't sound like you're from around here,” another girl said, coming up from behind to walk at his side.

“I’m not,” he said, glancing at her and immediately feeling dazzled that she would talk to him without knowing who he was. A little taller than him but probably the same age, she had thick honey blond hair down to her waist and gray eyes like an overcast sky. She wore a red and black sleeveless dress with a white silk scarf, red felt hat, and white sunglasses sitting on the hat; low-key but it managed to look amazing on her. Not wanting to be rude and stare, he glanced aside at the stone gate they were walking through. “You don't sound like the locals either.”

She gave a charming smile to that, one that he'd expect from a movie star. “Not from this area of Kalos. I'm from elsewhere in the region, visiting family this week. But you don't sound like anybody in the region.”

“I moved here recently,” he said, wondering if he should mention that he'd only been in Kalos a couple of hours. “I'm Calem.”

She nodded. “Ah, then welcome Calem. I'm Serena. Good thing you got news of this.”

They were now walking along a tree-lined lane, surrounded with flowering bushes. Since there were no patches of tall grass where Pokemon might be hiding, he guessed they were just walking on a fancy path to another part of town. Maybe Vaniville was a bigger place than it had seemed when he and his parents had arrived from the airport to the south. “Yeah, about that. What is going on?”

“You don't know?” When he nodded, Serena tilted her head. “Hm, well... you'll want to come if you want to train Pokemon and use magic eventually.”

Calem raised his eyebrows at that. “Licensing tests? Huh, we did those in school back in my old region. I already passed them, but I guess it couldn't hurt to take the tests for this region and make sure they're legal.”

“Yeah!” she said, smiling again. “Oh, but there's three parts to it: the written exam, the practical exam, and a short interview.”

“Interview?” Calem thought that was odd.

But he didn't get long to consider it before Serena took his arm. “Hey, I can help you with the practical part. I mean, you can do it alone, but it works better with a small group. It's probably nothing like what you did before. Please?” She gave him a pleading look that was hard to resist.

Not that he was going to try. “Uh, sure thing, thanks,” he said. “What are the exams going to be like?”

“Don't worry about it,” she said, happy to be helping. “If you've already passed them before, this shouldn't be a big deal. Oh, you do know magic, don't you?”

Calem nodded. “Yeah, I've been studying it early. I don't know a lot of spells, but I know some good ones.”

“Great! Let's hurry up and get things done!” She hurried along down the lane.

And once she was away, he saw a black flower in the bushes. Calem paused, but all it took was another blink to lose it. But it had been there, he was sure of it. And, he was sure to get left behind if he didn't hurry up. “W-wait up! Serena!” Calem ran after her.

Past the lane, they came to a more modern-looking area. Tall brick buildings held small stores on floor level and presumably apartments overhead. There were even more kids and teens around here, taking these tests at many cafe tables gathered on either side of a stone staircase heading down. A fountain sat in the plaza below. Past that, there was a beautiful old bridge made of brick and iron standing over a serene river. Earlier he'd been too distracted to notice, but the Kalos landscape, at least what he'd seen so far, was gorgeous.

It wasn't long before he was distracted again from his new surroundings. The adults who were supervising the exams directed the new arrivals to empty tables, then handed them a pencil and test packet. Calem ended up at a table with Serena, the pigtailed girl from earlier, one large boy, and one small boy. Also with the group was one Pokemon, a gray feline with scruffy fur and eerie wide eyes, standing on two legs next to the small boy.

“This is a timed test, with the practical portion following immediately after,” the administrator near them said. “Go down the stairs for that portion. Someone will be along to start your time soon. For now, you can fill out the first page with your personal information. The nearby cafe is also offering free drinks to participants, so someone should be around soon with that.”

“All right!” the pigtailed girl said, grinning and bouncing in her seat. “I wanted one anyhow.”

“Probably because you've been running around calling people,” the larger boy teased her.

“Well we don't want people left out, huh?”

Opening up the packet, Calem found a registration form right on top of a pack of papers stapled together. It was a standard form: name, age, gender, address, basic information like that. It did want to know if he'd tried for a Pokemon training license before. As it didn't have the same amount of digits, he had to make some notes on his foreign license number (as well as double-check his new address). Also, it asked if he had magic training previously. Calem had to check off 'a little, not enough for a license' and 'taught by parents' for that.

He got done with the form as the pigtailed girl put her pencil down and leaned forward. “Hey, who are you two? The three of us are friends; we came in from Lumiose City, I'm Shauna, and this is Trevor, and this is Tierno.”

“I'm Calem,” he said, looking at the three. Maybe he'd meet them again, maybe not, but it was good to set in his mind that the smaller orange-haired boy was Trevor and the large brown-haired boy was Tierno. “I just moved into Vaniville; nice to meet you three.”

“I'm Serena, from, around.” She folded her arms neatly at the edge of the circular table. “But isn't Lumiose a bit far to come here to take the exams? You could've just taken them there in Lumiose.”

“We came out here to make it an adventure!” Shauna said, clapping her hands together.

“The Lumiose exams are swamped,” Trevor said, in a quiet tone. The way his shoulders were hunched, he didn't seem entirely comfortable with people he didn't know at the table.

Tierno nodded. “Yeah, every year the building is jam-packed and it's crazy trying to get around. This is a lot less hectic. Plus, we're hoping for some extra consideration because we helped the test administrators come down here.”

Shauna nodded much more enthusiastically. “Yup, cause this year, they're gonna give out Pokemon to the top kids that impress the staff! Sure, there'd be more chances in Lumiose, but we helped them already and we might get a better chance here.”

“That's clever,” Serena said.

“Hey kids, what would you like to drink?” a waitress said as she stopped by their table. In one hand, she carried a tray that had a rotating lid. “There's water, soda, or one of our cafe drinks, one free of charge for all of you.”

“Chocolate chaud, please!” Shauna said immediately.

“I'd like a cola,” Tierno said.

“I'll take a water,” Serena said.

“Me too, the water please,” Trevor said.

“All right,” the waitress said, spinning the lid around and getting exactly the drinks they wanted, a mug for Shauna but clear glasses for the rest. “And you?”

“Err,” Calem said, rubbing his head. He would like something to wake up better with, but if he was going to be taking a test on paper, it might be better to have water.

“Here, I'll give you this,” she said, rotating the tray's lid to give him a mug with a steaming drink. “Looks like you could use it.”

“Thanks,” he said, glancing at the light brown liquid inside before taking a sip to test it. Then he recognized the smell as being coffee, with some milk and sugar from the taste of it. He'd not had coffee before, but once he got used to it, it wasn't bad.

They didn't get any longer to talk once the waitress left them, as one of the test administrators came to their table. “You have one hour to complete as many questions as you can,” he said. “Feel free to skip questions if you need to and make sure that your answers are legible. Ready?”

Calem thought of asking for a couple more minutes to call his parents. He'd been sent out just to say hello to the kids and get a newspaper. Instead, he was over here taking some kind of test he was unprepared for. But before he could decide on speaking up, the other four nodded in agreement and the administrator set a timer on their table. Calem flipped over the registration form page to start the test with the rest of them.

After a quick scan of the pages, he noted that the questions seemed to be all over the place in terms of subject: math, spelling, magic, grammar, history, science. Once he got going, he had to skip several questions about Kalos' history, government, and social structures. Even though they looked simple, he didn't know what answers would be right. The math questions could be explained as being able to budget adequately for a Pokemon's needs, while the magic and science could be related to their care. But the language questions weren't even related to Pokemon, as were several other questions among the others. Why was all this being asked for getting a license to train Pokemon or use magic?

But Calem didn't have long to think over that conundrum as the test was being timed. After the initial five pages, he ran into some reading comprehension questions. Two of them were about Pokemon, but the third?

'To Melchior Roland de Kalos, the twelfth king of the Kalos lineage, two sons were born: Aleksander Zachariah de Kalos, often referred to as AZ, and Leonidas Lysandre de Kalos. The elder son was born with several unusual traits, including incredible intelligence and an atypical case of excessive physical growth, but AZ was still deemed worthy of the divine right of inheriting his father's throne. He was given a strict and rigorous education that often kept him apart from his peers. In contrast, the younger son lacked any distinguishing physical characteristics. He did get a mind of above average intelligence and cunning, as well as a more lax education that brought him into contact with many youths of the nobility. Yet even in mental feats, Leonidas lagged behind the other men of his family and thus grew a hidden seed of jealousy, in particular towards his exceptional brother.'

The questions weren't hard to figure out, but Calem wondered briefly if the bit of Kalos history mattered or if it was just gauging his literacy.

Then there were short answer questions about magic. These weren't hard to answer, at least for himself. Even though his parents weren't the most accomplished of magic users, they never held back on answering Calem's questions about magic or showing him a few tricks that even a novice could use. Plus there were the many books on magic in the family's possession; a number were still too tough for him to understand, but others gave him an head start on magic studies.

Getting to the end of the test booklet with a few minutes to spare, Calem flipped back through to see if there were any skipped ones that he could make a quick attempt to answer. He noticed that both Trevor and Serena were doing the same, while Tierno and Shauna were still working on getting to the end. Trevor was the first to put down his pencil and close the booklet, sitting back for five minutes to unwind. Not long after, Serena stopped as well, with Calem deciding to close his test a minute before the timer went off.

The administrator was by their table not long after. “Time's up,” he said. “You five need to head down to the lower plaza for the practical exam. It will be recorded for review by the acceptance board, so don't bother those with the cameras.”

“Acceptance board?” Calem murmured.

But his puzzlement was blocked out by Shauna's cheering. “Wooo, come on Trevs, Tierno, let's go show 'em what we've got!”

“Yeah!” Tierno said, getting out of his seat with the other two and hurrying down the nearby stairs.

“Hmm, I wonder what they're up to,” Serena said, getting out of her seat in less of a hurry. “They certainly seem excited for it.”

“Yeah,” Calem agreed, getting up as well. It seemed they were the last group to be tested, as the administrator stood there making notes on the test packets. He followed after the man to ask, “Excuse me, but do you know where I can buy a local paper?”

He nodded and pointed to the cafe's main window. “Sure, they hold onto a stack to sell to customers. Hopefully they have some left.”

“Right, thanks.” He went over to get one. Before long, Serena tagged along. “So, what are we doing?”

As they got in line to wait, she shrugged. “I've got nothing planned. I figured we'd just go with a demonstration battle.”

A battle made sense for getting a trainer's license. They'd probably do the same thing that his old school had done: give them some Pokemon to battle and show that they understood what to do. When he got the paper and headed to the stairs, he looked over what the others were doing. There were several groups involved in Pokemon battles down below, mostly pairs but there was one set of doubles between four teens and their Pokemon going on. On the far end, there was one group that seemed to be using a magic demonstration instead.

Then the trio of Shauna, Trevor, and Tierno went up to the next free administrator for their practical test. But they weren't prepared for a battle. Trevor brought out a flute along with a few other items while Tierno explained. The distance and hubbub made him hard to pick out. “So we... a big part of... a bond with... We don't have... but... call on to show... made of!” When the administrator nodded, Tierno then put his hand to his mouth and gave a loud whistle.

Dozens of small black and red Pokemon came to his call, twittering with an excitement that made Calem recognize them as the same as the one that had kept him from napping earlier. “What Pokemon are those?” he asked as Tierno hushed the flock (and much of the surrounding crowd in wonder of it all) with the raising of his hands.

“Fletchlings,” Serena said. “Really common in this area. Huh, you really haven't been in Kalos for long.”

“You got that right,” Calem said. “And, what about that feline that boy... Trevor has?”

“It's an Espurr,” she said. “That one's uncommon to see, though you often see them with... hmm...”

“What about it?”

“Nothing we should worry about, I hope,” she said, right as the group began their performance. “They're of the Psychic type.”

Considering that all those Fletchlings seemed to be wild, what happened next was remarkable. Tierno led the whole group in a song and dance number. The Espurr had the flute levitated while Trevor manipulated it through magic to create a song to go with the Fletchling chorus. That alone was impressive, but then so was Tierno being able to direct the wild Pokemon into something that was almost practiced. Meanwhile, Shauna took center stage among the Fletchlings, being the lead voice, dancer, and special effects artist as she made the air shimmer.

“And they were worried about being crowded out in another city?” Calem asked quietly. “I'm sure they could've stolen the show with that act anywhere.”

Serena shrugged. “Well if they're after the gift Pokemon, it was still a clever decision to come here. They'll certainly be getting those with this.”

There were cheers and clapping when they were done. Calem didn't get a chance to hear what the administrators said to them because another one called out, “Has everyone here gone through the practical test?”

“We haven't!” Serena called, grabbing Calem's hand and raising it with hers. Then she dropped his hand to go over; he had to walk quickly to follow her. “Sorry, but I think everyone got captivated by that.”

“Seems so,” she said, glancing around. Not seeing any others answering her question, she nodded to them. “All right, give me your names and what you would like for the practical demonstration.”

“I'm Calem,” he said, thinking about asking for some explanation of what they were looking for.

“And I'm Serena,” she said, with a bow of her head. “We were thinking of just doing a battle.”

The test administrator checked a tablet she had, then nodded. “Okay then, Calem and Serena... battles for practical demonstration are limited to five minutes and will be stopped in case of major injury. You're to fight with what Pokemon you have; anything you can do goes, just consider that we need to see you at your best capabilities. You two do have Pokemon, right?”

“I don't,” Calem said. At one point, he had been into catching Bug types, battling them for a bit, then letting them go to catch more. It had been a popular things to do with the kids in his neighborhood.

The administrator made a note and asked, “Any type preferences?”

“Bug, Normal, or Water,” he said. “I'm most familiar with those.”

“Okay, I'll let you borrow this Water-typed Froakie.” She handed him an all-white Pokeball. “Let me know when you're ready.”

“Um, I have a large Pokemon, so we need more space,” Serena said quickly. Calem was busy looking at the status screen of the ball to figure out what this Pokemon could do.

“Sure enough,” the woman said, then called for people to clear out of their way.

Taking a few steps away, Calem pressed the release button. What came out was a frog Pokemon, blue-skinned with white markings. Oddly, there was a white fluff that went around her neck and down her back. Her yellow eyes watched him but were difficult to read.

“I'm not entirely sure what's going on,” Calem said quietly. “But looks like we're battling together. Hope you're okay with that.”

The Froakie croaked, probably fine with it. Maybe she'd even fought with others. He then indicated to the administrator that he was ready.

Then there was a loud roar and the pounding of large feet hitting the sidewalk. Everyone's attention went to Serena, now standing alongside her Pokemon: a Rhyperior, standing on its hind feet with its stony skin almost matching the stone pavement. While he felt intimidated, he felt further amazed at this girl. Just who was she to have a strong Pokemon like that? And... how was he and the Froakie supposed to fight that? There was a type advantage, but the difference of strength could easily overcome that.

“Okay... Serena and Calem at ready!” the test administrator said, getting him to brace himself for this. “You have five minutes. And set... battle!”

“Magnitude!” Serena called, tracing a symbol into the air. Then it really was anything goes, and he happened to get an opponent who actually knew what she was doing in a magic battle.

Unfortunately for her, so did he. “Froakie, use Growl,” he ordered, focusing his mind to casting. With a sweep of his arms and a twirl around, he and the Froakie managed to cast their spells before the other two. The sky overhead darkened and quickly turned to rain, making it easier to see the glimmer of the Froakie's spell affecting Serena and her Rhyperior.

At least for others, they would have an easier time seeing. Calem's awareness sharpened dramatically as usual; he focused on what Serena and the Rhyperior were doing. The latter was preparing Magnitude, something that was luck-based on how effective it was. However, the spell Serena was now casting was Lucky Star, to better the odds of luck-based spells. There wasn't a chance for himself or the Froakie to take out either the Rhyperior or Serena. Thus, their best shot was using the Rhyperior's slowness to outlast them.

He grabbed the Froakie and jumped right at the moment Magnitude struck at its best strength. Since they weren't on the ground for that, its damage was lessened. His legs still felt wobbly when he landed. “Sorry,” he said quietly to the startled Pokemon in his hands. “Keep at Growl, we just need to last five minutes. I'll do what I can.”

The Froakie calmed down and nodded, so he put her back down. While she worked at lessening their attack power, Calem cast Wide Guard to catch the next Magnitude. Across the way, Serena's expression was deadly serious, caught off guard. She said something to her Pokemon then cast Magnitude herself, breaking the Wide Guard. Then he saw the Rhyperior hurling rocks at them, and suddenly it was all pain and darkness.

While the pain didn't last, the darkness did. A black flower about as big as his hands put together was floating in the air; it looked like a lily. The flower tilted back, revealing a tiny Pokemon clutching the flower's stem. Meeting his gaze, the Pokemon's flower quivered. “You weren't supposed to see me,” he said timidly.

“You speak?”

“Uuhhh,” the Pokemon looked down, white parts of his face turning pink. “Chi-chirp?”

“I know I heard you speak,” Calem said, glancing around at the darkness surrounding them. He didn't even see the pavement. “Where are we?”

“We're not really anywhere but where we were,” the Pokemon said, giving up on pretending normalcy. “You're just not normally aware of this.”

Then there was a pop by Calem's feet and the Froakie appeared. Now she seemed fearful “Kid! Don't die!”

“I'm not dead,” he said, scratching her head. “At least I don't think I am. And now I can understand you too.”

“Don't worry,” the flower Pokemon said. “He's not dead. I... made sure of that.” He shifted his flower, looking ashamed. “I hope that wasn't fated. It was a terrible accident and I acted without thinking.”

“It would have been a great shame if you had died from my fault,” the Froakie said, relieved.

“It wouldn't have been your fault,” Calem told her. “But... you, um, flower Pokemon, thank you for saving...” Then a scream ripped through the air; it reminded him vaguely of an Aerodactyl shrieking in anger when Taunted in battle, yet it sent a feeling of terror into his bones. “Wh-what was that?”

The odd Pokemon gripped his black flower tightly and closed his eyes. “Oh no, not him. You two, go!” He flung one of his small arms out, repelling them with unexpectedly powerful magical force. But Calem had already looked up to the source of the scream, the wings of Death incarnate.

Next thing he knew, his heart was racing and his head was pounding as he sat up on a camping bed. He nearly hit the Froakie doing that; she was snuggled next to him, just waking up too. Before long, a man put his hands on his shoulders. “Whoa, calm down there. You need to rest for a bit more.”

“Wha-what happened?” he asked, still feeling terrified. His mind was trying to grasp the other being that he'd seen, but all he could think of was the letter Y. It was like that.

“You got hit in the head during the test battle,” he said. “You've got a powerful healing spell working on you, so stay there until it's done.”

“Okay,” he said, looking down at the Froakie. “Did you see that black flower too?”

The healer seemed puzzled, but the little frog seemed to agree and croaked. But he couldn't understand her anymore. Calem petted her, then lay back down and waited. Using a magic glass attached to a computer, the healer looked over him, then said, “There's a few of the other kids who wanted to talk with you, if you don't mind. The staff wanted to talk to you too.”

“Uh, sure,” Calem said. “I’m not all that tired right now,” probably due to the coffee, “but I am a bit confused.”

“That's understandable. Hopefully you can get back yourself home.” The healer then left and called for his visitors.

It was Serena and three other kids that had tested with him. “Good to see you awaken again,” Shauna said cheerfully. “That was scary.”

“It's a risk for battling like that,” Calem said. “But I think they assume that none of us will be skilled enough to get in a dangerous position.”

“I'm sorry about that,” Serena said, giving a low bow. “I've been able to get by with just using the support spells to impress people. When you actually matched us, we got a little carried away.”

“Rhhhyyyooo,” her Pokemon said, somehow taking the form of an orb of light near her.

'I nearly died,' Calem thought in a brief anger. However, she hadn't shown any inkling that she might want him dead. Maybe she had tricked him by not fully explaining things, but he didn't think she was malicious by any means. Besides, she looked really upset and he didn't like having a girl upset about him. “I understand,” he said. “I was going by the statement that anything goes.”

“Hey, but you did well enough to impress them,” Tierno said. “You even got picked as one of the five who got the free Pokemon, so this Froakie can go with you.”

“What, really?” he asked, puzzled as Serena handed the white Premier Ball back to him. “I lost.”

“I think it's because you used a pair of spells that are usually tough for novices to handle,” Trevor said. “I was certainly surprised; I've tried Rain Dance myself, but couldn't get a drop out of it.”

“Yeah, you two made it look so easy,” Tierno said. “But since you were out cold, you ended up with the last one. She wouldn't leave your side, so we let you have her.”

“Huh.” He looked at the blue frog beside him. “Never seen a Pokemon like you before. But good to meet you.”

Shauna danced in place a little. “Yay, I can tell you'll be good friends. And since you were one of the top five here, you're sure to get into the Lumiose Magic Academy with all of us!”

Academy? “Wait, what?” Calem asked.

On top of a light post nearby, a Floette with a black lily watched the bewildered looks of the five teens as they realized that Calem had no idea that he'd been testing to join one of the most prestigious schools in Kalos today. A school in a city where there'd be lots of people. Sighing, the Floette twirled his flower. “I suppose I should,” he said quietly, then waited for a moment when he could speak with the boy alone.

* * *

_Lesson 1: Basics of Magic (1)_

What is magic? The simplest answer is that it is a force that is intertwined with life itself. Living beings create the energy of magic, called aura. In turn, aura can be manipulated to perform many tasks. It even has a function in creating new life, thus creating a vibrant cycle. Passionate debates between philosophers have long been held over whether aura or life existed first.

How magic works can be illustrated as being similar to that of fire.

Fire requires a fuel source to burn, matter to turn into energy. In a similar fashion, magic requires an energy fuel to manifest itself. The fuel of magic, as stated before, is aura which is, in fact, emotional energy. The intensity of the emotions increases the power of the aura produced. Those sensitive to aura will notice that the energy a person produces changes as their feelings change. A lack of emotions will produce weak aura and weak spells, while excessive emotions produce an aura that is so powerful and chaotic that any spell they use will be uncontrollable.

Fire also requires air to burn, another kind of fuel to strengthen it. Emotions alone will not allow a person to use magic; there must also be intelligence to it. Intelligence forms aura into useable energy. While a creature that has instincts can produce aura, unless it has the intelligence to use it, it will be like a single candle in a dark cavern: noticeable, but barely lighting anything. A person who has not studied magic may be able to use the simplest of spells with some effort, albeit inefficiently. Lessons and practice will allow spells to become more efficient and allow the magic user to use higher level spells. It may seem that knowledge is always a good thing to increase, but there is still danger of excessive knowledge. Some of the most powerful spells in the world are known to drive mortals insane if they attempt to use or even study them, whether the user is human or Pokémon.

The third ingredient needed for a fire is a spark, something to set the fuel and air to ignite together. Similarly, magic requires a spark to actually be used: that spark is willpower. But while a spark is required mostly at the start of a fire, willpower is needed to control and guide a spell; it contributes to the form as well. Willpower also keeps a magic user from using magic unwillingly when their emotions grow strong, so it is important for those who study magic to learn self-control. Without willpower, magic cannot be used at all. Without confidence, a magic user cannot develop. Yet too much restraint from willpower, even too much confidence, can hinder the effectiveness of the spell.

Learning magic is quite often about learning the balance of emotion, intelligence, and willpower.


	2. Culture Shock

_I had first started learning magic from my father when I was eight. He had caught me trying to cast what I was reading about in his books and told me that I shouldn't be using magic on my own yet. He then asked if I really wanted to learn and I said yes. While many parents would have been happy to help, he was actually reluctant, taking a few hours to think about it. He wouldn't say why he was worried, just something about a family legacy. But then, at dinner time, he said that if I was already trying to study, it was better that he take over and make sure I was doing so safely._

_In the week after the day we moved in, I was to meet several others who would also be important in my life, even if they didn't seem so at the time._

“Tweeeeeetwitwitwitwiiiii!”

Calem hurled his pillow at the window, scaring off the Fletchling. But he was awake and very thirsty now. Rubbing his head, it took him a moment to recognize the bandage still around his head. He sat up, finding that he didn't feel that bad for having moved a quarter of the way around the globe and nearly dying in the past twenty-four hours. He didn't feel good either, just not that bad.

“Good morning,” an unfamiliar voice said. “That is what you say, right?” Something croaked in response.

“Yeah,” Calem said, looking over the room. A frog Pokemon was hopping towards the bed... right, the Froakie he had received yesterday. Sitting on the bedside table, there was a strange black and red lily; it had three elongated petals with smaller oval petals in between. Sitting on top of the flower, there was a white and green Pokemon that was the smallest he'd ever seen. “Good morning. Weren't you bigger yesterday?”

“Yes,” the tiny Pokemon said. “But the situation has changed and I had to regress some. I am here to assist you.” He bowed, making the stamen of the flower bow as well.

The Froakie croaked, jumping up on the bed and giving Calem a questioning look. Letting her stay, he petted the Froakie and nodded to the flower Pokemon. “You already helped by saving me. If it had really killed me. I'm not sure.”

“It did,” he said. “But, well... see, I'm a servant of the gods and we're not supposed to really do that kind of thing. I was told that I should see this through as you saw and heard me. Whatever you decide to do for now, I’m going to follow you for a while.”

Moving, taking unexpected tests, dying but not, being followed by a servant of the gods... this was clearly the strangest couple of days in Calem's life so far. However, he didn't think that having this odd Pokemon with him could be all that much trouble, especially if it had the power to bring people back to life. “Seems like I'm getting a Pokemon team together anyhow, so join the crew,” Calem said, nodding. “Do you have a name? And what are you anyhow? Sorry, but I don't know.”

The flower Pokemon nodded. “I'm Mortan, a Flabebe; I was a Floette yesterday. Oh, and I can talk with you, but I shouldn't be talking to anyone else. Same with knowing that I'm a divine servant, although for now I'm more or less an ordinary Pokemon.”

“Just able to speak and with a black flower, huh?” Calem asked.

“Yeah, ordinary except for that,” Mortan said, swinging around the flower stamen. This caused the flower to float into the air. “You'll need to get a Pokeball for me, sorry.”

“It's no big deal,” Calem said, getting out of bed to get dressed. Was he supposed to leave the bandage on? Probably safer to leave it there. “And I'll have to name you too, Froakie. Unless I did yesterday; it's kind of hazy for me to recall.”

The Froakie croaked, causing Mortan to say, “She says that you named her Swift.”

Swift? He paused in front of the cabinet that he thought held his clothes and looked down at her. She didn't look particularly fast, on land at least. But maybe she was. “I see.” Swift put a foot forward and seemed enthusiastic about something.

“It will become appropriate,” Mortan said.

“That's good to know,” he said, opening the cabinet and not finding his clothes. They seemed to still be in boxes lying around his room today. With a brief grumble, he went to the one box that was opened and picked out another set of clothes to wear today. He'd put the rest away and work on setting up his room once he had some breakfast.

Downstairs, he found that while much had been set up around the house, like the kitchen wares and the large holocaster, there were still other boxes left to unpack. That was probably today's task. His mother soon found him and hugged him. “Good morning, Calem. How do you feel?”

“Better than I would expect,” he replied. “Do you or Dad have a free Pokeball? I had another Pokemon follow me home last night, it seems.”

“Fweee!” Mortan said, more convincingly than yesterday.

She smiled and tried to get him to land on her hand. “Aw, it's adorable. I don't, but your father should. How about I make you an omelet, hmm? You've got some medication you need to take with food, and a doctor's visit this afternoon. And you can finally tell us what happened last night to bring you in all bandaged up like this.”

He must have went straight to bed after walking back home. “Didn't Serena say anything? She walked me back home, I'm pretty sure of that.”

“Well she apologized and explained a little, but she had to return home too,” she said. “She's our neighbor, you know, just over the wall.”

At least he knew where to find her to ask questions later. His parents seemed to have eaten already, but they sat at the table with him while he explained what happened yesterday. Although not the part where he was briefly dead. He didn't want them to get the wrong idea about Serena; surely she didn't mean for the battle to end up that way.

“It was a little foolish to go along with the magic battles without much experience,” his father said.

“Why would they have had the kids doing that?” his mother asked, concerned and angered.

Calem shrugged. “I went along with it since the others were. I mean, I work better in rainy conditions, I thought the Froakie might too, and since it was timed, I figured we could get through by stalling.”

His father smiled. “Gutsy to take a risk like that. Knowing that it was for the academy, I would think they have the magic tests as an option to prove one's determination to join.”

“To risk pain to yourself to join a school?” Calem asked, puzzled. It seemed rather extreme, even though he'd gone though it himself. “I guess, but...”

“It's not just any school,” he said. “We're talking about Lumiose Academy, which has a history stretching back over three thousand years. It used to be only for nobility and royalty, but even when they eliminated that requirement, they only take a few students every year and have a reputation for an excellent education. Around here, it's known as one of the toughest schools, but making it through will earn you respect from anyone.”

“Then it's the elite school of this region?” his mother asked, interested.

He nodded. “And why so many would be trying despite the risk in those battles. I'm sure the healer was there for precisely that reason.” At that point, the doorbell rang three times. Calem's father got out of his seat. “Wonder who it is at this time of morning,” he said, going to answer it.

“It would be nice to see you go to a place like that,” Mary said. “But if it is an elite private school, then it's certainly going to have the cost to match. At least we don't have to worry about the cost of the house, but still.”

“Maybe we can work something out with the school, if they want me,” Calem said.

His father came back with a pair of older teenagers. They both wore uniforms of white and gray, with an emblem of a star on the left side of the jacket. “You have some visitors, Calem,” he said. “This would be Dexio and Sina from the Lumiose Magic Academy; this is my son Calem and my wife Mary.”

“Good morning, feel free to pull up a chair,” Mary said, pointing towards some left near the wall. “And sorry about the state of the house; we're still settling in from the move.”

“That's okay,” Sina said while Dexio got chairs for them both. “Also, this is probably your first notice, but you've been accepted as a student of the academy, Calem. Congratulations! The acceptance committee leader decided to send us over to answer any questions you have at this time, due to how your interview went. We're both seventh year students, going to graduate this upcoming spring.”

Dexio brought out a pair of envelopes to put on the table before sitting down as well. “Oh, and there's something you should know before anyone else. You have an education sponsor who's already arranged to pay for your costs: the tuition, room and board, and school supplies, all of it.”

“What, really?” Calem asked, pulling the envelopes over to him. The larger one was from the academy and probably had information for students inside. But the smaller one had 'L.K.' in plain neat handwriting where the return address should be.

Sina nodded. “Yes. You know of Lysandre Labs? The group that created the holocaster network, among other technological devices? The man who runs the company and invents most of its products, Lysandre de Kalos, he offers financial support to one or two students of the academy almost every year. He sponsored me, for example; you have to meet his expectations as well as the school's requirements, but to get full support like that, it's not that hard to do.”

“I didn't think I did that impressively,” Calem said. Then he shrugged. “But if they're going to help me out with the Pokemon from yesterday and such, I'd love to go. Are we going to have to move to Lumiose, though? We just arrived here in Vaniville yesterday.”

“No, not all of you,” Dexio said. “You'll be moving into the school dorms in Lumiose for the school term. It's a nice area of the city too; there should be pictures of the dorms in the documents there.”

They had a lot more questions to ask of Sina and Dexio, but with unexpected gift of a full ride scholarship, there was really no reason for Calem not to attend the Lumiose Magic Academy.

* * *

The newest students were expected to arrive two days early, one to settle in and one for an orientation. Calem left Vaniville on a bus mid-morning, as he also had to meet with his sponsor. At the sidewalk station, his parents gave him a fond farewell, with hugs (a little embarrassing, but it was his parents so he could tolerate it) and a gift of some snacks for himself and his Pokemon. Then he was on board and moving yet again this week, this time on his own. Hopefully things would settle down and he could find his place here in Kalos. Strangely enough, Serena wasn't on the bus. If he had been accepted, then surely she would have been accepted too as she had defeated him. She even had a fully evolved Pokemon, an unusual thing to see in young teens according to the books he had read. Perhaps she was coming later.

To keep himself company, he released Swift and Mortan to sit with him. There weren't many people on the bus, so his Pokemon could sit in his seat. “Well guys, we're off to school.”

“Are you nervous?” Mortan asked in a quiet voice. After looking, he twirled his flower to fly up and settle near the bottom of the window.

“Yeah,” he said. His stomach felt queasy, although his mother had determined that it was more his nerves than being sick. Hoping it would help, he took out a peppermint candy he had stuffed into his pocket earlier. “It's like when we were moving out here, but worse. First it's all the way across an ocean, and now I’ll be on my own. It should be worth it, but, I dunno, I’m not sure how well I can manage it. After reading up on this place, the schools I was looking into before were nowhere this exclusive. Kind of hard to believe until I get there.”

Swift patted his leg in a reassuring way. Meanwhile, Mortan said, “The academy's always gotten that kind of reaction, especially when they opened it outside the nobility.”

Calem looked over at the fairy. “Really? But, that was a long time ago. How do you know?”

Mortan pulled on the stamen he held, leaning back. “I... I’m a servant of the gods, I told you before. I'm older than I should be.”

Swift pushed herself up into a more alert position with her front legs. “Crooooak,” she said.

Since he hadn't had her for long, Calem wasn't sure how to read this. He patted her lightly. “Are you nervous too?”

“Not really,” Mortan said after she croaked again. “She says that it is counterproductive to be nervous as it leaves you vulnerable to enemy attack.”

“Really?” Calem looked down a the Froakie after Mortan confirmed it. “We don't have to worry about enemies; we're just on a bus.” But as she still seemed serious about it, he asked, “What would you suggest?”

She croaked, and Mortan continued to interpret. “It is appropriate to keep an edge to remain alert, but you should attempt to take control of your vital signs and convince your body that you are calm. That will in turn calm you.”

“How would I go about taking control of my vital signs?” Calem asked. Swift partly closed her eyes, not saying anything now.

“It's knowledge that comes naturally to her kind,” Mortan said. “So it's not really something she can teach you. It should be something you could learn to do yourself, though it would take longer.”

Calem nodded. “I see. That could be nice to know. Maybe if I watch how you do things, Swift. I do feel better with you two with me; I know there'll be friendly faces around as long as you're there.” That seemed to make them happy. To help that along, he continued to talk with them. He was blessed to have Mortan, able to act as a medium to them. Although, the Flabebe was still reserved and didn't like to talk about himself.

There were several stations in Lumiose City, but the note he had gotten from Lysandre gave him his destination. He got off at a stop at Magenta Plaza, within view of Prism Tower. Now almost noon, there were many people on the sidewalks, even waiting around the station. There had been a picture of him with the note, but even without it, Calem thought that he might have been able to pick the man out of the crowd. Sina and Dexio had spoken of him as a powerful influential man and there was only one who had an air of confidence worthy of that description there. Lysandre was a man who looked like the very definition of power, gazing down over the other pedestrians with a physique of a champion boxer. He had bright red hair flared out almost like a Pyroar's mane, yet dressed with class in a dark blue suit with a red tie. Not only that, but there was the way other people would look at him in awe and respect.

When he stepped off the bus, Swift hopped out behind him and Mortan settled his flower on his shoulder. Lysandre's eyes looked first at Mortan, then at him. “Excuse me, but would you be Calem?”

He nodded. “Yes sir. And you're Lysandre? Good to meet you.”

“Good to meet you too,” Lysandre said with a nod and a handshake. His grip was powerful. “Are you ready for school?”

“I think so,” he said. “Thank you for the scholarship; I don't know if I could have come here without the support. I'll work hard to earn it.”

“Good,” he said, his stern voice softening. “They'll have dinner at the school for the new arrivals, but let me treat you to lunch today. I'm sure you have a lot of questions about the school and our region; I’ll answer as much as I can.”

“Thanks, yeah, that would help,” Calem said, feeling lucky that he'd somehow gotten the attention of this generous man.

There was a blue cab waiting at the sidewalk, which Lysandre opened the door for him and his Pokemon. “We'll be meeting up with someone who's just as responsible for you being able to come as me, as he was the one who pointed you out as someone special.” He then asked the driver to take them to a particular restaurant and they were off.

They arrived at a restaurant that had a sense of class oozing from every portion of it, from the beautiful building to the crisp uniforms of the workers. At the front, there was a menu on chalkboard; it listed a meal in several courses, apparently with no option to choose what one ate. It was the sort of place that suited Lysandre, Calem thought, not himself. And probably not the other person dining with them, a tall lanky man with thick black hair lying in every which direction. He wore a long white coat reminiscent of a laboratory scientists, but had it over a rumpled dark olive t-shirt and faded denim jeans. Accompanying him was one Pokemon, which struck Calem as a little bizarre. The Pokemon was best described as a pink ball of feathers with a gray beak and a pretty scent. But one shouldn't judge a person solely by their Pokemon, he reminded himself.

“Lysandre!” the man called boisterously, springing out of his seat and giving him a friendly hug. “Thanks for inviting me along,” he said cheerily, turning from his friend to Calem. “And you must be our young scholar, Calem. Wonderful to meet you!” He threw an arm around him for a quick hug too, then gestured to the other seats at the table. “Go ahead, have a seat. They'll probably have the first course out to us shortly now that you've both arrived.”

Calem had heard that people in Kalos would be more open to friendly gestures like this, although this was still a bit shocking (and too close for his comfort). “Good to meet you too, sir,” he said, taking a refuge from culture shock in politeness. He sat down at an empty chair, while Swift hopped into another. Meanwhile, Mortan chose to remain on his shoulder. “And you are?”

“Augustine Sycamore, Professor of Pokemon studies, director of the Lumoise Pokemon Lab, and part-time teacher at Lumiose Magic Academy,” he said. “And... well it's a bit early, but you'll find out before long, I'm going to be your homeroom teacher while you're at school.” His bird Pokemon trilled a few happy notes at that.

“Then you are going to do the homeroom program this time around?” Lysandre asked, raising an eyebrow.

“What, you doubt I can handle it?” he said with a playful smile. “Any of the teachers in the academy can opt to lead a homeroom, no matter which they normally teach in. I've declined to do so thus far, since I mostly work as a substitute, but I had a change of mind. See, a couple years back, I had to fill in for one of the homerooms when their teacher was out for three months and it was actually quite a refreshing change of pace. Especially in a wonderful pair of students that I promoted to being my lab assistants. I believe you've met them already, Calem.”

“You mean Sina and Dexio?” Calem asked.

Sycamore nodded. “Correct, them. They have a naturally strong curiosity that I’m sure will make them excellent researchers in the future, so I decided to start them off early. In fact, they've been assisting me with in a project to reassess the standard accepted categories of aura types. To put it simply, it shouldn't be long before the Fairy type is officially recognized by Pokemon and magic organizations around the world.” Then he pointed to the one on Calem's shoulder. “Speaking of which, you appear to have a rather unusual one with you.”

“Did he have to bring that up?” Mortan said, his voice so small now that only Calem would have heard him.

“Is he?” Calem asked, glancing down and noticing that he was flipping the petals of his flower up to hide in a bud. “I figured he was native to Kalos, but I really don't know about him.”

Surprisingly, Sycamore looked ashamed. “Oh, I’m sorry; I didn't mean to frighten him. It's the flower he has. I don't believe I've ever seen one of that almost black color, on its own or with a Pokemon. Anyhow, the Flabebe has caused lots of confusion about what type it was. It's been listed as Normal, Psychic, Grass, and I've even seen someone try to classify it as Flying. It doesn't help that they're a rare sight outside of spring in a few areas of Kalos. But with my studies, we can finally make sense of it as a pure Fairy type. Where did you get him?”

“Don't,” Mortan muttered in his bud.

“Honest to goodness, he followed me home after the admission tests,” Calem said. “So somewhere on Route 1, I guess.”

“There usually aren't any Pokemon on Route 1,” Lysandre said. “No suitable grass.”

“I wasn't really in a state of mind to pay much attention, but he was there when I woke up,” he said.

“Very interesting,” Sycamore said, watching as Mortan shifted the petals aside to peek out. “If you mean to use him in battle, then feel free to ask me for some information on his typing. Otherwise you'll be using him blindly, so to speak.”

Calem nodded. “Sure, maybe later. Well, Lysandre was telling me that you were interested in having me attend. Why is that? I didn't even win that battle in the test.”

Sycamore smiled at that. “The results of that battle didn't matter, not one bit. What mattered was how you conducted yourself and the Pokemon with you. The young lady who was your opponent, Miss Serena, she could impress right off with her powerful Pokemon. But that's really an iffy sign on if we'll accept a student. Maybe someone else trained it, maybe she did and thus would be ahead of all the other starting students. I suspect the latter is the case, given her family background. On the other hand, you were capable of using Rain Dance. Environmental effect spells like that are normally above where we expect a novice to be at. That's the kind of natural talent we like to see in our students.”

Since Mortan was still hanging on him, Calem shrugged with only one shoulder. “I don't know if that's talent. I spent about two months trying to learn it.”

“Why was that?” Sycamore said, showing keen interest in it.

“Well, it's, uh,” he scratched his head. “It's hard to explain, but I'm at my best in the rain. I become really aware of things, almost to the point of matching a psychic. My father taught it to me because he's the same way; he says that it's a common trait in our family, but I'm uncommonly good at it.”

“Seems like a limited ability,” Lysandre said. “And you're using it at a fraction of its full capacity; that weather spell can spread over a full acre with one caster of moderate ability.” Apparently he'd been in on the admissions committee too, if he could make a judgment like that.

Sycamore didn't seem as bothered. “Well I think that's an interesting power. I've heard that some psychics are limited or assisted by the environment. Perhaps you can become a true psychic with training, it's just easier in your preferred conditions. And to go back to your question on being accepted, your interview really cinched it for me. You passed the written test with excellent marks, with only a couple of weak areas that could be explained as you not being a native of Kalos. And that's what really hit me, right in the heart, when I heard that you had just moved into our beautiful region that very day! I know how hard that can be, moving to a new location you're uncertain of, with no one around that you know aside from family. Yet you still put forth an impressive effort in the tests. I'm happy to be helping you along and seeing how you do without such handicaps on you.”

Although initially off-putting, talking with Professor Sycamore gave Calem a better impression of him. He could be an interesting teacher; the next day would show if that was true. On the other hand, his impressions of Lysandre hadn't changed one bit. He was a powerful man, generous but stern. At least he was on his side.

* * *

_Lesson 2: Basics of Magic (2)_

What kind of being can use magic? As explained, a sufficient level of emotions, intelligence, and willpower is required for true magic. Some organisms can produce aura effects as a false magic; plants, fungi, insects, and animals can be capable of these limited abilities, such as magical glows, sensing shifts in aura, and using aura to create and follow trails. These used to be thought of as true magic, but scientific studies have revealed that some of these 'abilities' are biochemical in nature. Actually manipulating aura into magical effects is impossible for such creatures.

Instead, users of true magic can be divided into three categories: humans, Pokemon, and gods.

Humans have great capacity for magic. They are almost always typeless according to recent research, so theoretically can learn and use any spell in existence. Due to their typeless nature, humans are also somewhat resilient against magic, especially with spells that manipulate the three bases of magic, such as Attract, Amnesia, or Taunt. However, the vast majority of humans do not learn spells naturally. They must study magic and put spells into forms that they can understand before they can use them.

Pokemon also have great capacity for magic, but their limitations are different. They have auras which always align with certain magic types (two at most) according to their species. This means that their spells have much greater effect than that of humans, but they are also more affected by magic. Pokemon do learn magic naturally, but this limits what they are capable of learning overall even with assistance and study. In older systems of belief, it was thought that Pokemon were able to manipulate aura directly while humans required the blessing of spirits or gods. Rethinking of magic studies has led this to be disputed; no blessing is required.

Gods are divine beings with the greatest capacity for magic. It is believed by many that they regulate magic; other beliefs state that they even created the world and all other beings on it. As few gods have allowed themselves to be studied, much about them remains mysterious. Some gods are believed to be immortal and unchanging while others are elevated from other beings to fulfill lesser divine tasks. It is said that their aura is pure and infinite, although the exact meaning of that claim is unclear. Many gods are worshiped all over the world and have been known to grant otherwise impossible blessings on other beings. Still, great caution is advised in dealing with gods. Very few are entirely benevolent and their blessings will nearly always come at a cost.


	3. Five Friends

Thirty-eight. That was how many students were in the room, Calem noted, and it was the entirety of the first year students of Lumiose Magic Academy. There were seven grades and if they had numbers like this... it really sank in that was an exclusive school thinking of that. And he'd gotten in more or less by accident? It made him feel nervous. The rest of these kids would be driven in how they competed for this, and they'd probably keep that drive through all their school years. Was he going to get left behind?

“Finally, we have your class, homeroom, and dorm assignments to pass out,” the teacher leading this orientation meeting said. “As this is your first year, all of your classes are required ones. You will be able to choose some optional classes in coming years, but you might be able to get a head start with school clubs. There are three homerooms that have been set for your class, led by myself, Ms. Talonflame, and Professor Sycamore over there.” She pointed over to him sitting to the side; he nodded. “These are the homerooms that you will be with through all your school years. As for the dorms, there are two separate dorms, one for boys and the other for girls. Other than the common rooms on the ground floor, you'll not be allowed to visit the other dorm. Other rules will be discussed by the dorm assistants.” She then began calling them up to receive their assignments.

Calem already knew that he would be in Sycamore's homeroom. The courses were what he would expect: language, math, history. Although, it surprised him a bit to see science on the list. He knew some magic schools didn't touch science due to its connection to machinists. A nice surprise. As for dorms... the names of his roommates were familiar, but it didn't hit him until he saw them coming over to him. It was Tierno and Trevor, the two boys he'd seen at the Aquacorde tests.

Most of the students were bunking in twos, but since there was an odd number of boys, the three of them were in a larger room. After they sorted out beds and where to put their things, they headed down to the common room to meet up with Shauna. And as it turned out, Serena was her roommate. “I don't know if this is a coincidence,” Trevor said. “Maybe they put us together like this because we all were at the Aquacorde tests.”

“That would make sense if we were all from Aquacorde and Vaniville,” Serena said. She wasn't sitting with them, rather being at a piano where she played a simple song. “But only he really lives there; I just visit from time to time.”

“Still, this is great!” Shauna said with a grin (which seemed to be her standard expression). “We all got in, and we're all gonna be in the same homeroom!”

“Are we?” Calem asked. “With Professor Sycamore?”

The others nodded. “Yeah, he's great,” Shauna said. “The three of us have known him for a while, even did some work for him this summer.”

“It was kind of an accident that we met him,” Tierno said. “We were supposed to talk with someone else, but found him instead and he helped us out a lot more than the other person.”

Shauna nodded. “Yeah, the professor knows lots about Pokemon, and all kinds of other things. He just doesn't always act that way.”

“We ended up visiting his lab a lot,” Tierno continued, “and a few months ago, he told us that we should prepare to take the entrance exams. We didn't really think we stood a chance to come here. Well, maybe Trevs as he's so brilliant, but not so much for us.”

“It wasn't certain for me either,” the younger boy said, looking down and swinging his feet nervously. “They rarely take students my age. And no matter what tests say about intelligence, there's a lot more to magic than being smart.”

“That doesn't matter anymore, because we did it!” Shauna said, leaning forward.

“Yeah, you were all really impressive there,” Calem said. “Like the Pokeflute? My mom can play that, but I can't even get it to make a note.”

Trevor turned pink at that. “Y-yeah, it is tough. I'm still learning it and can only play a couple of songs, no magic songs at that. I started it to learn better aura control.”

“You can be the best,” Shauna said enthusiastically. Then she looked at Calem. “I didn't get to ask before, but were you really never been in Kalos before? Why'd you move here?”

“Well my parents were looking for a new start after my dad lost his job,” he said. “Although he could have just gone back into Pokemon battling without moving to a whole new region; he might still do that. But the reason we came out to Kalos was... well, it's a long story, but my great grandmother died and I inherited a house in Vaniville from her.”

“She really left you that old house?” Serena asked, pausing in her piano practice. “It's pretty valuable, where it is and how long it's been around. But I've never known anybody to live there; I always thought it was haunted.”

Calem shrugged. “I didn't notice any hauntings while we've been there. It was a surprise for me too. I mean, I'd heard about the house from her.” Thinking on that made him smile. “Maybe it seems kind of odd, but my old house was on top of a hill and when I was little, Gran moved to an assisted living community at the bottom of the hill. My parents would go down at least twice a week to help her out and I'd come along to listen to her. She had the best stories of adventures that she'd gone on when she was young. Like during the Great War, she had been going around Kalos as a spy, calling herself Miss Roselia.”

“Huh, Miss Roselia?” Serena asked, surprised and surprisingly recognizing the name. “The one who was named a Defender of Kalos, as she used her talents in singing and dancing, as well as her looks and charm, to help out those fighting for freedom? She was your great-grandmother?”

“That sounds about right,” Calem said. “There were an awful lot of her stories where she'd pause, then laugh and say that she couldn't tell me the rest until I was older. Even after I encouraged her to write a book of her stories, she made me swear not to peek at it until later. I know that in the first few months of the war, she lost her home and family, ending up living on her own with other displaced youth. She wanted to get revenge on the invaders, so she pretended to be an entertainer to get into their camp. While she didn't get the revenge she wanted, she did pick up on valuable information, as well as stealing back several properties in Vaniville and Aquacorde that had been stolen by them.”

“How did she steal entire houses from an army?” Shauna asked, puzzled.

“She got the land and property deeds they were using to make their ownership legal,” Calem said. “Won the papers off them in several games of pool, actually. But she went to find the proper owners to return the papers to them, as well find people who might be interested in what she'd found out from the invaders. However, three of the properties were owned by one man, and he decided to thank her by giving her the house. That way, she got a place to stay as the invaders were letting most of the people continue to stay in their homes as long as they were obedient. But she wasn't there often as she had too much fun being a spy. Even after the war ended, she arranged for the house to be taken care of while she took off on a trek through many regions until she finally settled down and married in Unova. She always thought that she might go retire in Kalos. But once her children were grown, she said that she went everywhere but Kalos, just to see places she'd never seen before. Like you know that famous mountain in Sinnoh, Mount Coronet? She climbed that for her ninetieth birthday.”

“Wow, she sounds awesome!” Shauna said, eyes full of wonder. “I heard Coronet is hard for anybody to climb.”

“I don't think there's anybody like her,” Calem said. But recalling the walk down to her place and her warm voice, he felt a powerful homesickness like a dark pit in his stomach. He missed his old home and old friends, and his Gran. For a moment, he couldn't recall what he was doing here, away from everything about his old life, even his parents. “Doesn't even seem all that long ago since I last spoke with her,” he said. But it had been a few months, and hundreds of miles away.

“Are you okay Calem?” Shauna asked, thankfully managing to tone down her energy a few bars. If she'd had the same sort of energetic reply, it would have annoyed him.

He put his hands over his face. “Sorry, I didn't mean to bring you down,” he said, trying to keep himself from crying. “It's just... been really disorienting with all this going on at once. And hard to believe what's going on when I'm not entirely sure where I am at the moment.”

“Um, you could think of it like an adventure, like she would have probably done,” Trevor said, uncertain but he wanted to help somehow.

“Sure, we could help you out!” Shauna said. “Lumiose is really big, but it's also really awesome and we know lots of places, some of the best! I mean, how much homework could they gonna give us over this orientation and first few days? We can show you around here after school. You too Serena!”

“I've been in this city before,” she said, still over at the piano.

Calem put his hands on his lap and tried to smile. “Sure, that could help... thanks guys.”

* * *

 

Their homeroom was in a bright and cheerful room, with large windows along the south and east sides. Looking down from the windows, they could see the trees and grass in the school's courtyard, then the old brick buildings of the school's dorms, library, and other buildings. Inside the class, there was a large markerboard in the front behind the teacher's podium, with other parts of the wall covered with charts and posters, mostly about Pokemon but a few about magic. There was a small office for their teacher in one corner, but it was hard to see through the office window due to a large potted plant he had there.

“Okay, everyone looks to be here, and the bell's about to ring,” Sycamore said, immediately followed by the short melody of the bell announcing the beginning of class. “Ha-hah, nothing like being right! Today is just the first year orientation, but we'll see about getting all of you settled into school life swiftly. I will be your homeroom teacher, Professor Augustine Sycamore. Welcome to your home classroom, hopefully for the next few years.

“Although, if things work as I plan, it won't be the only place we meet. After all, it would be too ordinary, even boring, just to stick to an orthodox study. We will have class projects to work on as part of your curriculum. Sometimes you might end up helping me on some of my scientific studies, or I might ask you all what you wish to focus on. The first project won't come up for a little while, so we'll be informal for the first few days. Or longer. I've got a few official things to get through, then we'll see what you all are interested in. Feel free to ask me anything, even where to get a good cup of coffee. I know all of the cafes in Lumiose City.” He chuckled at that while some of the other students thought it was silly. Although Calem was curious about that; his first attempt to make his own cup of coffee at home hadn't turned out well.

_What I recall of my first year at the academy was a bumpy series of transitions: adjusting to Kalos, feeling lonely and uncertain being away from my parents, trying to meet the expectations of a school of such importance. At first, I had bouts of homesickness and doubt that I wanted to be there. Or that I was wanted there. But by the end of the first semester, the severity of it had decreased dramatically. This was because of my four friends: Tierno, Trevor, Shauna, and Serena._

* * *

_One of the things that helped me was actually a time where I had to help one of them; I had been relying on them for a while, so returning the favor made it really feel like they were my friends. It was during the fall semester finals and as the first big test we were all taking, everyone was nervous. Even Trevor, who had seemed quieter that day, turned out to be really nervous too. That nearly led to trouble._

Calem stared at the problem for a few seconds. Okay, this definitely hadn't been discussed in class. He didn't recall it at all: not in his class notes, not in books he had to read, not from the teacher. In that case, did he have to get it right? Maybe he should write what he thought was right and hope that this wasn't something which should be common knowledge that he somehow didn't know.

Sycamore was walking through the classroom, something that didn't stand out much. What did stand out was the small, “Mya,” that Trevor's Espurr made. Calem glanced over as Sycamore paused by Trevor and quietly asked him a question. They then went into the teacher's office, which was odd but as the test was still going (and Sycamore's Pokemon watching over all of them), Calem continued trying to answer the questions.

At the ringing of the lunch bell, the professor said, “If you've completed your tests, place them in the white box. If you'd like to finish during today's last period, place the unfinished ones in the orange box. Tierno, Calem, would you stay here a few minutes?” He waved them to his office while the other students got up to turn in their tests and get what they needed for lunch.

Calem wasn't sure what it was about, but once they were up at the front of the classroom, with most of the other students departing, Tierno asked, “Is this about Trevor?”

Nodding, Sycamore let them into the office. “Yes, we might need you.”

Inside, the lamp had been turned to a low setting while the school nurse, who had somehow gotten in without being noticed in the classroom, was watching over Trevor. He was sitting on the couch in there, looking ill with paler skin than usual. There was an odd collar on his neck now, along with matching bands on his wrists. “It's passed now,” the nurse said. “He won't be able to take the spell-casting tests today, and really should relax once the other tests for the day are completed.”

Sycamore nodded. “All right. That test is scheduled after lunch, so we'll let you finish what you skipped this morning and find another time for your casting test.”

“Sorry about this,” Trevor said, looking at the floor. “I tried to keep calm, but,”

“Don't worry about it now,” Sycamore said. “Say, is anyone sticking around the classroom this time?”

Not quite sure what was going on, Calem glanced outside the office. “No, not today.”

“Good, then I'll call up the cafeteria and have them send us lunch over here. Come on, boys. And after class lets out, you two should take him back to your room and make sure he's okay.”

“Sure thing,” Tierno said.

Calem had to back out to get to their desks. “I’ll help but, what's going on with you?”

“Oh, it's, um...” Trevor was walking slower than normal, holding his hand just above the desk as if preparing to catch his balance.

“Well you must be improving if someone who's lived with you for a few months doesn't realize it,” Sycamore said. He watched Trevor until he sat down, continuing to talk. “He's got a rare gift for magic and could become extraordinarily powerful with it. However, it's so powerful that even a master of magic like one of the gym leaders would have trouble dealing with it. Sometimes it even uses itself, so the effort some of you put into learning new spells he has to put into not using magic. I'll put in the call for lunch, so just wait a minute.” He went back into his office.

Trevor had his hand against the side of his head, seeming like he was checking something. “It's a, well, genetic disability, but he never talks about it that way unless explaining the medical information. I'm really glad we did end up with Sycamore; I don't know many others who would pick up on one of my attacks the instant I suspected something was wrong.”

“Myah,” the Espurr said.

He looked down at his Pokemon and scratched his head. “Yeah, and Merlin here helps me out too; he's like a guardian angel, even though he was trained to assist me like this. He lets me know where I should place these binders to prevent trouble.”

“Wait, so those bracelets and collar are magic restraints?” Calem asked. They looked very plain, not something that could be a problem. Well, apparently they would be a problem for everyone but Trevor.

“Technically they're aura sappers that force a low level of magical energy on prisoners, so they can't use spells,” Trevor said. “But yeah, I need them. I mean, when I was three, my parents were late coming home one night and I ended up blowing up our house and damaging the neighbors' homes out of anxiety. Nearly killed me and the babysitter too. Kids that age aren't supposed to be able to do anything with aura, but I’ve been capable of stuff like levitating objects since I was a baby. People used to think kids in my condition were possessed by devils, or were monsters.”

“Hey, you're no monster,” Tierno said.

Calem nodded. “Right, you're not. How much can you do to beat it?”

The shy boy smiled. “Well I have been doing better the past few months, but I keep looking for something better than these restraints. If I need to use them more than a couple days in a row, it makes me feel sick. But thanks guys. Some people have been harsh to me, but I keep meeting a lot more who are nice about it.”

_I later found out that that was how the three of them had met. Another kid had bullied Trevor enough that he lost control of his power. Later, people said that it was like facing four Earthquakes in quick succession. Several people, including Trevor, Tierno, and Shauna, had to be hospitalized for their injuries. However, Shauna had witnessed the incident and was key to keeping him from getting institutionalized by proving that he had been provoked. She even insisted on visiting him to cheer him up, then getting him to visit the other patients. There were a few that lashed out verbally, but Tierno saw that and didn't like it; he helped to defend Trevor. On exchanging addresses, they realized that they all lived on the same street in Lumiose, almost the same block. This led them to become inseparable friends._

_It did make me feel like I wasn't really a part of their group for a while, even if they were friendly and often invited me to lunch or to go explore Lumiose. I wonder if Serena felt the same way, being Shauna's roommate but not quite in their group fully; she never said anything like that. But even if she felt that way, it would have been surprising to hear her say anything about it at that time. She carried herself with confidence and pride, in a way that I always thought of as regal even before I knew that she had a truly high class background. Yet she never came across as cold or unapproachable; she rarely spoke in a negative fashion and often had a warm smile for others. This made her popular from the start, with students of many levels admiring her, even nicknaming her the academy princess. Even if she was at the edges of the group more than I was, I doubt she was lonely or lacking friends._

_On the other hand, I was clearly a foreigner in this place. From my different accent to my struggles to adapt to local customs, even my clothes, I got snubbed by a number of the other students. Some might show some curiosity in me, but those acquaintances never lasted. By the second semester, if I was noticed by those outside my homeroom, it was usually because I was one of 'that group that is with Serena sometimes'. Not that I minded. I knew that I had found great friends in Trevor, Tierno, and Shauna; the feeling that I was at the edge of their group diminished until it was completely gone by the end of the first year._

* * *

_I still had a crush on Serena, despite how it seemed I didn't stand a chance at dating her with how popular she was. While I wasn't quite sure how to express it, I kept trying to get her further involved with our group of friends, so that I was closer to her. I did so even if it was things that I wasn't quite sure about. She had a silver tongue and golden charm, so even if I got mad at her, I would end up forgiving her if she smiled. And I'm sure she knew what she was doing all along._

“Is something up with you, Shauna?” Calem asked. He and his friends were sitting at one of the round tables in the cafeteria eating dinner. Normally, this meant that Shauna would be chatting energetically and exchanging jokes with him and Teirno. “You've been strangely quiet all day.”

“Huh? Oh, I'm okay, it's just,” she frowned, still thinking.

“You sure about that?” Trevor asked. “You never act like this when things are okay.”

“She's been like this since she got home from her weekend trip,” Serena said. “I figured you just needed some time to think about whatever it was, but if you need to talk with someone about it, go ahead.”

Calem nodded. “Right, otherwise we'd all just keep worrying.”

That at least made her smile. “Aw, thanks guys. Well, it's... I’m not sure how to explain it. See, one of my grandfathers died last week and I went to the funeral with my parents. But I’ve not really been sad about it. I didn't really know him. The few times I met him, he's always been a grouchy old man who lived in a house that smelled like cigarettes because he smoked so often. He didn't like kids and was rude to everybody. While we were heading out there, I thought it wasn't nice to think of him like that at his funeral, so I thought I’d listen and see what other people thought about him. But it seemed like everybody remembered him that way, though, as a grouchy rude old man.”

“That's a rotten way to be remembered,” Calem said.

“Right,” Shauna agreed sadly. “His Pokemon were the same way, grouchy and rude, growling at people who got to close to them. I'm even scared of his Linoone, since it bites people sometimes. Though, it is kind of his doing that made people remember him that way. He didn't really have any friends and said he didn't want any. And he never did anything exciting either. The most anybody remembered was that in the last few years, he steadily sold many things he owned in order to go on trips, but he would never leave Kalos and didn't do much other than fish and sleep when he was vacationing. I guess he enjoyed doing that, but then nobody could remember much else about him. It's scary to think about that happening.”

“Ooo, yeah, I see what you mean,” Tierno said. “But I don't think you have to worry about that happening to you.”

“Yeah, who would want to forget about Shauna?” Trevor said.

“Or could with how much her energy makes her stand out,” Serena said.

She laughed. “I guess not.”

Serena had one of those smiles where it was hard to tell if she was being devious or just joking around. “Certainly. Well, why don't we put aside such heavy things for now and do something fun this evening? Like go shopping for clothes, all of us.” She glanced at Teirno. “I mean, you could use some better winter clothing.”

“Hey, I’m just fine in t-shirts and jackets, no matter how cold it gets,” he said with pride.

“Your regular jacket does look worn compared to your school one,” Trevor said. “We do have a few more hours until curfew, so we could go look at some places nearby.”

At that moment, Serena reminded Calem of when they'd met, right before she offered to help him. “Sure, but, why don't we do something more memorable and make a game out of it, hmm?” This got Shauna's attention. “We'll go to a big store where there's lots of clothes, and go look. But, each of us has to try on one outfit that was put together by the others without the wearer's input. We could even take pictures.”

“I'm not sure about that,” Calem said.

However, that was drowned out by Shauna putting her hands on the table and saying, “Yeah, that sounds like lots of fun! Let's go do that!”

“Aah, well, um,” Trevor said, uncertain about the idea too. He scratched his head and looked at Calem as if begging for some way out of this. He didn't have a varied wardrobe, so Calem figured it was probably out of his comfort zone too.

“Sure, I’ll have to make sure not to disappoint you then,” Serena said sweetly. And once she said that, after Shauna had been gloomy all day, it was hard for the three boys to turn down this game.

Although Serena was obviously from a wealthy family, she directed them to a second hand clothing store that had a large variety to choose from. Shauna wanted to try the outfit game first. While she and Serena were walking ahead through the doors, Calem quietly said to the other two boys, “Let's take our time and be careful to choose something nice for them. Either we'll take up enough time that we'll need to get back to the dorms before curfew or they'll want to return the favor when our turns come up. Otherwise, this could get embarrassing.”

“Yeah, that sounds like the smart thing to do,” Tierno said quietly, with Trevor nodding in agreement.

Even with that plan between them, it seemed that the girls were already keeping an eye out for pieces to suggest for the rest of the outfits. For Shauna, they found glittery dark blue jeans and a cute hot pink blouse that had odd buttons: black knots that went through loops underneath black ribbon bows. Serena also found a cute pillbox hat with black lace that wasn't quite the same pink, but went with the style of the blouse. Shauna was really pleased with the outfit, strutting around for a bit like an exaggerated refined lady. But she only bought the blouse, something that eventually became one of her favorite shirts the first couple of years of school.

Shauna also pointed out Serena to go next, which she didn't deny (something fortunate for the rest of them). She went off to look as some of the jewelry items while the four of them discussed what to give her. While Shauna was having great fun, pointing out various pieces that they could have her wear, they tried to drag it out by questioning the sizes and if they really suited Serena. But eventually Serena got bored with the jewelry and wandered back over to them, so they had to make a choice. Tierno then came up with a very colorful silk scarf, saying that his older girl cousins liked to wear such things as their fashion. Since that seemed a safe choice, Calem helped out by finding a v-neck shirt and a skirt that were like some of the dominant colors in the scarf.

And Serena came back looking stunning in that. Although, quite frankly, Calem felt like she could make any clothes look stunning if she put her mind to it. “Not my usual thing, but pretty nice,” Serena said, twirling an end of the silk scarf around her fingers. “Do you read fashion magazines, Calem? Because this is the kind of style that's been in a lot of them recently, although more often with pants.” She turned around, seeming to be thinking on that. The skirt twirled nicely.

“No, it just seemed like it should work together,” he said. “My dad says that fashion usually isn't a guy's worry.”

That put that dangerous smile back on her face; she stepped closer to him. “Oh? Well I suppose it could be that way where you come from. But guess what? You're in Lumiose now, center of the fashion world. If we were to make you fashionable, I’m sure you would fit in a lot better.”

“Hah, that could be fun too,” Shauna said in innocent delight.

So he ended up having to try on an outfit next. And what they (mostly Serena) came up with was almost acceptable. The black slacks, black jacket, and checkered beret were actually kind of nice, but he would have liked it much better if they hadn't also given him a dusty rose pink shirt to go underneath the jacket. Not only that, but the jacket had been cut in such a way that he couldn't hide the pink shirt. “You couldn't have found something like yellow or white, huh?” Calem asked while he was wearing it.

“The color's supposed to pop with the black,” Serena said.

“There was a blue shirt that could've worked too,” Trevor said.

At this point, a nicely dressed woman who worked at the store walked by. She must have noticed what they were doing. “Looking good there kid,” she said, seemingly sincere.

“Uh, thanks,” Calem said, feeling his face get warm.

“Yeah, you could be like the lead in a romance movie,” Shauna said, delighted and back to her usual energy now.

Serena smiled. “I knew what I was doing.”

_And that is where I started taking an interest in fashion, actually. I'd still rather not have pink be part of my outfits, though._

* * *

Lesson Three: History (Persecution of Mechanics)

Many ancient civilizations can be divided into those who focused on magic and those who focused on machines. Sometimes the lines were blurred, but most times such civilizations came into conflict with each other. Eventually, a machine-based empire took control of much of the continent, including lands within modern Kalos and lands on other continents. It was believed for a long time to have been a very cruel government, but studies show that such views may be the bias of the magic-based group that overthrew them and set up their own empire. These events of the distant past made the foundation for the persecution of mechanics and those who followed science.

In Kalos itself, the oldest kingdom of what makes up our region was the de Kalos monarchy, grown from one small kingdom based in Lumiose. The de Kalos line, especially in the reigns of Melchior and AZ, were trained in both magic and machinery; no favor was given to either side. However, the violent wars that occurred during that time were dominated by war machines rather than magic. When Leonidas took the throne after the fall of his brother AZ, he swore off machines and blamed that technology for much of the bloodshed and suffering.

As a result of this, the people who studied science and built machines, known collectively as machinists, were hated and ostracized. Many believed that machines were only good for hurting people. At times, machinists were actively sought out and executed, often with metallic weapons or their own devices. One of the most infamous incidents was the Courmarine Trials, where the discovery of a machine that was to help with farm work led to the accidental death of a young girl. Hundreds of people were accused of being in league with the machinists and nearly half of them were executed, all within a six month period.

Things began to change around three hundred years ago with the Renaissance movement, which brought science and machines into a more favorable light. Machinists were still suspected to be troublemakers for a long time, but their works were seen less often as works of the devil. In modern times, machines are taken as commonplace and scientific methods are accepted as of equal validity to magical traditions. There are some superstitions about machines remaining, but it is very rare for people to take such things seriously.


	4. The Wealthy Volunteer

_In order to keep my scholarship, Lysandre wanted me to do volunteer work around Lumiose. His expectations were reasonable and he encouraged me to try many places. One week I'd be cleaning at a homeless shelter, the next packing boxes for a meal-at-home assistance program, the next visiting people at a retirement home. I even participated in some holiday programs for children in one of the hospitals, which was quite fun in brightening up their days. Sometimes my friends came along too, so it was even less like work._

_Sometimes I came across Lysandre also volunteering at these places. This man had a business worth billions of dollars and he must have had a personal fortune worth even more, but he still gave his time and money to those less fortunate. It would have been very admirable in anyone else, and I know many people in Kalos felt that way about him. But, any admiration I felt for him didn't last long. At the time I never said anything against him, but my impression of him was still of a powerful but unsettling man._

_And it was through him that I first heard of Team Flare._

It was a Saturday, early in the afternoon. Later today, Calem would be getting together with his friends for some skating around Lumiose, checking out some of the sights at the edges of the city. But for now, he was working at a soup kitchen. He had been helping to serve the free meals to people during lunch; currently, he was scrubbing the grease off a wall behind some of the kitchen equipment. The kitchen was due for a health inspection, plus it was time for their monthly thorough cleaning. Being that he was twelve and still short, he had the easiest time of the volunteers there to get to it.

“Okay, Swift, rinse time,” he said, stepping aside.

The Froakie, who had been drinking out of the clean water bucket, put her front legs up on the bucket and sprayed down the wall with the water. She liked doing that after he'd scrubbed the wall down with grease-eating soap. While it meant that he had to do a second scrubbing with an antibacterial soap (just in case), it actually worked out pretty good as the walls came out looking nice and clean.

Once that was done, he squeezed under some wires and out from the narrow space, waving for Swift to follow him out. “I'm done here,” he said.

“Got everything?” Lysandre asked. It was surprising, but he had been there since before Calem had arrived. Once Calem nodded, Lysandre pushed the heavy equipment back in place using nothing but his own strength. He didn't even seem to be using magic for assistance, yet could move it easily.

“Great work, kid,” the kitchen supervisor said cheerfully. “I know you're scheduled for another hour, but go ahead and sign off for the day. I'll count that extra hour for your hard work.”

“You sure about that?” Calem asked. He could feel the effort in his arms, but they weren't sore yet. “I thought I'd put in extra effort because you needed this done and you gave me that really great soup for lunch.”

She nodded. “It's fine. I don't want to overwork a kid, but I do appreciate what you've done. We can get to the rest of the walls easier than here. Oh, and when you go to clean up, try the pink soap to get the grease off your hands. It works a lot better than the other stuff.”

He did so; even if the soap smelled odd, it did work really well to make his hands feel cleaner. On his way out, he encountered Lysandre again. “If you have an extra hour, would you like to come with me to my cafe?” he asked. “It's not far out of the way to your school.”

Calem still wasn't sure about his benefactor... but then it was his benefactor, so it seemed like a better idea to go along with him for a small thing like this. “Sure, thanks. You have your own cafe?”

Lysandre gave a small laugh as they headed out of the soup kitchen. “Yes, why not? Actually, I do have more of a reason to own one. There's many cafes here in Lumiose now, but back when I bought mine, there were very few that would make coffee and espresso the way I like it, black and strong. The brew might be too bitter for you straight, but there's cream and sugar if you wish to temper it.”

Over the past few months, he had gotten more used to coffee and the cafes around Lumiose. And true to his word, his teacher Sycamore did know a lot of really good ones. This cafe, bearing Lysandre's name, managed to stand out from all the rest from the moment one laid eyes on it, much like the man himself. It chose a brilliant and bold red color for much of its exterior, borrowing a bit of his intimidation factor. As it was late spring, the door was left open to let in fresh air; the sound of lively discussion drifted out into the street.

But that discussion stilled for a brief moment as Lysandre and Calem stepped inside. It was all because of the man, no doubt about that. Giving a slight nod as if to say, 'Carry on', Lysandre continued to the counter without breaking stride. The discussion returned, but it was quieter than a moment before. The people there were aware of Lysandre's presence and they respected it.

Standing by the coffee grinder on the counter, Calem could smell the sharpness and bitterness of the beans they were using. A small sign proudly noted that they used a particular blend of high quality organic coffee beans; the prices for the drinks were higher than any cafe he had visited as a result, but that didn't keep this place from being popular. Thankfully, Lysandre paid for both of them. He took an espresso while Calem decided to try the coffee, asking for a bit of cream on the side so he could test it. They gave him more cream then he thought was 'a bit', but was thankful for it when he got the drink and found the bitterness almost enough to gag at.

Lysandre's Pyroar lay down on the floor near their table, while Swift decided to sit on the bench with Calem. Mortan was also out, resting his flower on Calem's left shoulder as usual. Although, the Flabebe was acting odd in that he had his eyes closed, murmuring something constantly that Calem could barely hear. Other Pokemon were wandering around the cafe, but surprisingly few compared to the amount of humans there. Calem even caught sight of a few people who were dressed in the exact same way, although the reason he noticed was that their suits were the exact same bold red as the cafe's exterior. But they didn't seem to be cafe workers, just people visiting and talking.

One of the things Lysandre set on the table was a gleaming and beautiful blue stone set in a base that seemed to be some kind of magic analyzer. Calem noticed it right away, but their talk didn't start with it. “I haven't gotten the full reports, but you seem to be doing an excellent job keeping up with your first year of school and your volunteer work,” Lysandre said. “You had enough hours to match my requirements nearly a month ago, yet I find you still continuing.”

Calem shrugged. “I like doing it. It's like my mom says: if someone helps you out unexpectedly, then you ought to help out two more to show your gratitude to the gods. Plus I’ve met a lot of interesting people. Like last weekend, I was nearly late to meet up with my friends because I got to talking to a man about Water Pokemon and some things I hadn't thought of in how I might train Swift.”

“That's good,” he said, then took a sip of his espresso. “The world would be a lot nicer if everyone thought that way. Unfortunately, not many would be that generous with their help. It's been growing worse over the years and is deeply troubling.”

“How so?” Calem asked, genuinely puzzled at the jump in subject. Yes it would be good if more people were helpful and nice, but how did a lack of generosity, which might even be unconscious decisions or poor circumstances, become deeply troubling? He thought he might talk with Lysandre about Pokemon, since that was usually a safe subject.

Lysandre looked at him for a moment with an unreadable expression. But just as Calem was wondering if he'd said something dumb, the man looked away and relaxed some of his intimidation. “You're still young, so you might not have noticed it. But in the world, there are those who give and those who take. Most fall somewhere in between, but the extremes often end up guiding the world. This even includes the gods. For instance, here in Kalos, there is Xerneas, the stag who wears the rainbow crown of the heavens; he gives life to all and is a blessing to the land. But there is also Yveltal, the eagle with wings of blood and shadow; he takes life from all and is a curse when he appears. But the givers and takers don't need to be so grand to have an effect on all of those around them.”

Although Calem was hearing them for the first time, both names cause his blood to turn cold. It was a strange recognition; images came into his mind which he felt certain that if he looked them up in a book, he'd find them to match the two gods. But how did he connect the images to the names when he'd never heard of them before?

If Lysandre noticed Calem shivering at the names, he didn't mention it. “Now in an ideal setting, in a world of perfect beauty, most people would fall in the middle and it would all even out. Those who had something in excess would give to those who lacked, and those who lacked would only take what they needed, giving something else they had instead. But our world is far from ideal, so a number of people fall on the extremes. And a great many of those are takers who give very little, or none at all. They end up taking many resources and giving little back. Hmph, and this goes for both rich hoarders and poor bums.”

That didn't sit well with Calem and he wanted to say so. However, he didn't want to go against someone who was supporting him like this. Lysandre volunteered in the soup kitchen and other places too, so he should know that, “Well, the supervisor in the kitchen said that a lot of people who come don't have other options to eat and they need the support until they get themselves in a better standing.”

“I don't mind those who truly intend to do so, coming to support a need for food while they work to pull themselves out of a hole,” Lysandre said. “But there's an awful lot of them who dug their holes themselves through such ugly habits as smoking and gambling. They don't give up such things and remain in such pits, creating ugly lives that are burdens to those around them. Like I saw dozens of familiar faces in the serving line today, even as the weather is fair. I've seen them there for a long time. Their lives have grown dependent on the generosity of others and they've given up on supporting themselves. They don't even try when I know they can make good of themselves if they just put forth some effort. They don't and it makes me so angry at times...” He trailed off, but Calem wouldn't have been surprised if he said that he hated those people.

“Um, Lysandre?” Calem asked after a moment of silence at their table.

That snapped him out of that brief dark mood. “I apologize about that outburst,” he said, bowing his head. “Those thoughts had been building the past few hours and this conversation reminded me of that.”

“It might be better to let them out and let them go,” he replied, thinking that it hadn't been much of a conversation between them. “At least that's what my parents would say. I hope you don't mind a change of subject, but... those gods you mentioned, Xerneas and Yveltal, right? What are they like? We haven't studied Kalos legends this year and I haven't heard anything about them. But if they're local deities, I should know something of them, I think.”

Lysandre nodded. “Good idea, and something to keep in mind for the future if you wish to travel through the world. Learn a little bit of how to respect the deities where you are and it will help you greatly.” He took a deep breath, thinking on the two. “It's like I said: one gives life and the other takes it. Xerneas is said to never die no matter how grievous his injuries. Said to dwell within the wayward forest south of Snowbelle, he can even grant eternal life. Although, first one would have to find him in that place, and then who knows? Most stories of those given such a blessing find it to be a curse and have to seek the other to remove it. For the most part, though, people worship him for other reasons. You're too young to be concerned about that.”

“I am?” Calem asked, wondering what he meant by that.

It did make him smile a little, odd to see on his usually serious face. “Well, if you see an icon of Xerneas in a house, it usually mean it's a couple trying to have a child, looking for protection for the new life. On the other hand, an icon of Yveltal is rarely seen; people don't want to call on the personification of death. There are some groups that do keep such icons around, but they usually turn out to be insincere, trying to go against the grain and go along with their cultural group at the same time. Yveltal is said to rise with the tides of war, appearing when there are passionate battles all through the land of Kalos.” He paused. “And not just the battles for sport as are common today.”

“At times like the Great War?” Calem asked. Then his great-grandmother might have heard of Yveltal. Maybe even saw him?

“One would think so,” Lysandre said. “It is times like that when he usually appears. However, there were no recorded sightings of Yveltal during the last major war, what people call the Great War. That's a foolish name for it, I think, but that's what stuck. Anyhow, many counted it fortunate that he didn't appear. Unlike Xerneas, Yveltal's life force runs dry rapidly. He sticks around for a few years, then goes back into hibernation. But as he does, he sucks in the life forces of all beings around him, Pokemon and human alike. Thousands will die all across Kalos when he does; his last appearance is said to have taken the lives of a million humans and a million Pokemon, about two hundred years ago during a vicious cycle of civil war. That was when the nobility and royalty fell from the height of their power and the so-called revolutionaries of the people were arguing bitterly over how Kalos should be ruled. Yveltal scolded them severely, basically telling them to stop waking him up, then took so much of the country down with him. And that's how the current government managed to stick around long enough to stabilize itself. Given how many people and Pokemon were around at the time of the Great War, it could have held an even greater death toll with Yveltal's parting.”

And then, maybe he wouldn't even be alive. Calem shivered at the thought. “I see.”

Lysandre did notice his discomfort that time. “Even so, Yveltal is not considered an evil god. He is simply a force of nature, like death itself. And like how the eternal life of Xerneas can be a curse, Yveltal's power can be seen as a blessing. The times that he appears are among the worst possible, when the ugliness of human nature overtakes everyone. Yveltal wipes the slate clean, reverting everything to a peaceful state from which the beauty of life can rise again. At some time, you should take a look at pictures of the lands around a volcano a couple of decades after it erupts. Despite the devastation, nature heals quickly and the land becomes beautiful again. Sometimes a power like that of Yveltal is necessary to make things right.”

“Hopefully things wouldn't get to a point like that,” Calem said, unsettled by that idea. “Most people are good, so it shouldn't happen often. Although I would think that knowing what Yveltal can do would make people want to do good and make it so that he doesn't appear.”

“Most people are not that thoughtful when they decide what to do,” Lysandre said. “They see their decisions as small things, choices that won't affect the world. But remember, your choices affect those around you, influencing them to choose in similar ways. Thus one person's small choice can become the choice of many people, subtly changing the direction that society is going. And if society's direction changes enough, the choices people make can make it stronger, turning a good society into a terrible one. That's one of many reasons that I choose to do things the way I do.”

Calem nodded. “But you would have a greater influence than someone like me would. There's a lot of people who speak well of you and look up to you.” Although he couldn't help but wonder if those people would change their minds if they got to talk to him like this.

Lysandre shrugged at that. “I've had many years to build my influence. In time, you might be as much of an influence to others if you work hard at it.”

“I don't know about that,” Calem said, feeling a little embarrassed. Maybe someone like Serena, given how popular she was.

And just like that, Serena appeared in the entrance to the cafe, pausing. Calem wondered for a moment what she was doing here, but then Lysandre said, “No, I think you have the potential for it. It all depends on how much effort you put into developing yourself as a person. I might be able to help you with that, if you were to become associated with Team Flare. You're younger than other members, but,” he looked down at the magic analyzer for some reason, tapping the gemstone as if he was expecting to see something happen. And it did; the gemstone abruptly gave off a brilliant sparkling glow, audibly humming.

“What is that?” Calem asked.

“It's a device I've been working on, a specialized detector blending electronic technology and divination magic to identify the energy signature of the gods,” Lysandre said. “But it seems,” he glanced at Calem's shoulder, “that someone was able to muffle it.”

He looked down himself to see that Mortan had fallen asleep there, an odd thing for him to be doing in the middle of the day. “Really? But why would he have some kind of godly signature like that? He's a regular Flabebe, except for the flower.”

“Have you worked with a regular Flabebe before?” he asked, something Calem couldn't say 'yes' to. “He's a special one; I knew the moment I first saw him. He is not a god, but he's been around one so long that his aura is irrevocably marked by divine power, as you have been.”

“Wait, how can I be marked by divine power?” Calem said, feeling uncomfortable with the conversation again. Maybe he should find some excuse to leave.

“Oh, Calem, here you are,” Serena said, stopping by their table with a reusable coffee travel mug in her hand.

“I was trying not to be late today,” Calem said, trying to smile and be calm. But he didn't feel like he was being very convincing. “Um, Serena, this is Lysandre; he handles my scholarship, so we were just meeting up to talk. Lysandre, this is one of my friends in school, Serena.”

Surprisingly, she responded by curtseying to Lysandre, bowing her head respectfully. “Ah, hello Lysandre; I’ve heard a lot about you from my parents.”

And he bowed his head in acknowledgment. “I'm not surprised. You're the Chalet princess, daughter of the current Champion, aren't you? I heard that he's expecting some serious competition from Diantha. Go ahead, join us if you like.”

“Thank you,” she said, taking a seat. “And that movie starlet? Father said that he's keeping an eye on her. I think he's more interested to see some serious competition rather than being worried about keeping the position.”

“One would expect so much from a true League Champion,” Lysandre said. And Calem ended up just listening in for a little while, as he hadn't seen much about the Kalos Pokemon League yet. At least their meeting with their friends allowed them to get out soon.

While they were walking back to the dorms, Serena asked, “What's up with you? You don't get a chance to talk with one of the greatest people in the world that often, but you looked like you didn't want to be there.”

He rubbed his head. “I know everybody looks up to him, but... I dunno, he says things that I don't feel are right and I think he was trying to talk me into selling him Mortan. I haven't kept Pokemon long in the past, but I'm not giving up on these two. They're my good friends as much as the rest of you are.” Swift croaked happily at that, which did help him relax. He was out of Lysandre's presence and didn't have to worry about him for a little while.

“Oh please, he's a visionary,” Serena said, obviously not sharing his discomfort. “You should listen to the evening talks he gives at his cafe. It might seem strange at first, but when he gets into explaining it, they make perfect sense.”

“I guess I just got a bad first impression of him,” Calem said. Serena shrugged at that and took a sip from her mug. “And how can you drink that coffee? It's so bitter that I think I killed half my taste buds trying to sip it.”

“It's not that bad,” she said. “Not my favorite in Lumiose, but good enough. Hmph, but you are still a kid. I'm almost fourteen, so I can appreciate the sophistication.”

“Hey, I'm not that much younger than you,” he said. “Although I think I agree with Professor Sycamore that a bitter cup will start a bitter day.”

Serena shook her head. “Ah, why do you have to bring his lame puns into it?”

“I'm sorry. Did you want the puns black or with cream and sugar?” She groaned at him while he laughed.

Later on, while he was alone in his dorm room getting prepared for the afternoon skate outing, Calem nudged Mortan's flower. “Hey, you want me to recall you or are you done snoozing?”

“Huh?” the Flabebe asked sleepily. Then he shook himself. “Oh, I’m sorry. I didn't notice when I fell asleep. Yeah, I should probably rest.”

“What's got you so tired?” Calem asked, taking the black flower in his hand to get a better look at Mortan. He had slid down the stamen he was gripping.

“It was that man, Lysandre,” he said.

“What about him?” he asked when Mortan didn't continue. He would let the Flabebe rest, but was just too curious now.

Mortan yawned, then rubbed his eyes with one arm. “He had a detection device on him. You saw it at the cafe, right? The thing with the blue stone. It measures certain aura characteristics and it should have gone off like a siren in your presence. Mine too, but I was keeping it quiet as best I could.”

“You mean that stone would glow, right? Because it did that when Serena joined us, really bright too.”

He blushed. “That must have been when I started nodding off; I don't remember seeing it go off. Though, I'm not surprised. With me, you, and her in the same room, even I couldn't keep the device from triggering.”

“He thought so.” On hearing a sigh from Mortan, Calem changed his mind on asking him about the divine markings yet. “On second thought, tell me later. You really are tired; you can go back to your Pokeball now.”

“Mm, thanks,” Mortan said, nodding sleepily. “I'll tell you later.”

* * *

_Serena may have tried to stay detached and cool around us, but it was starting to break down at the end of our first year of school. Even though I hadn't said anything outright yet, my interest in her caused me to keep inviting her to go do things with me and the group. More directly, Shauna would invite her too, literally dragging her into our plans at times. Serena might act annoyed at first, turned sideways to us with her mouth in a thin line. But once we began to talk or play, she'd end up joining our group to have fun._

_And then, right after the final exams of the first year, she invited us to a weekend trip to her 'actual home', the Battle Chalet._

This area of Route 7 was breathtaking in its late spring beauty. A wide river passed by so serenely that it reflected the lush trees lining its northern bank. Along the neatly kept dirt path, wildflowers grew in a rainbow of abundance. Pokemon played freely under the wide sunny sky, not caring about the humans walking by A soft carpet of dark grass covered the ground outside the path, relaxed naturally instead of in perfect uniformity like tended lawns. The air was warm and fresh, smelling of the flowers, the grass, the river... it was magnificent.

And in the natural scene, there was a manmade structure that was also beautiful, and yet absurd at the same time. Standing astride the wide river with its foundation on both banks was an old stone castle. It certainly had to be heavy; it looked heavy. Yet it also appeared to float gently on the surface of the river without the assistance of magic. Bright cloth banners hung from poles in front of the building and below many of the windows. It was a fairy tale castle in reality.

Actually, it was a battlegrounds that was restricted to those 'of noble bearing'. “It used to be that only those Trainers of noble birth could enter,” a maid in the entrance room said. “They wanted a distinguished place for Pokemon battles and we provided it for them. However, the nobility of this age are in name only with little power behind it. We invite Trainers that are suitable for our refined matches and recognize those who succeed as part of the nobility.”

“Yes, but these are my friends,” Serena said. “And since I invited them over for the weekend, they're allowed to stay.” She wasn't even asking for permission, stating things as they were (for what she wanted). Or since her father was the owner, she had already gotten permission for them to come over.

The maid nodded. “Of course, my lady. We'll treat them as any of our guests.”

“Wow, I never thought like I’d be treated like some kind of noble lord,” Tierno said, awestruck.

“Not quite that far,” Serena said. “You'd have to win a great many battles to be treated like that. But we'll still have fun. Are my parents here yet?”

“Your mother's in the family wing,” the maid said. “But Lord Dupont got called away just a short time ago. He said he wasn't sure if he'd be back tonight, but he'd definitely be back by tomorrow afternoon.”

“I see,” she said, looking disappointed.

Shauna wasn't one to leave a person sad for long; she promptly asked, “Hey, could you open up the windows and dive out into the river?”

“That's ridiculous,” Serena said. “Although I'm sure you could, nobody here would do such an undignified thing. We can't even dive in the swimming pool because it's too shallow for that.”

“You have a swimming pool in here too?” Shauna asked in excitement, then pestered her until she brought them to where it was, in the north end of the castle away from the battle rooms.

Although the sound of the Chalet's noble battles was intimidating, Calem found that they there no different than those he faced at school. With Swift and Mortan, he lost some battles and won others. Sometimes they were greatly outclassed, other times the opponent Trainer would only have one Pokemon that was weaker than either of his two. But the battles didn't really interest him, even if the ones here gave him an unexpected windfall of money. He had more fun being outside, playing with his friends and all of their Pokémon.

On Saturday just after lunch, they had split up as there were many Trainers around the Chalet. Calem didn't like that much. What he didn't like more was coming into a room and seeing a guy picking on Trevor. His Espurr seemed more concerned about Trevor than the bully, which was worrisome. “Mya,” Merlin said, turning to Calem with a look that seemed like a request for help.

“You just don't have the history behind you to be a natural winner like me,” the guy said. He was wearing a blue suit that seemed like an expensive thing, with a classy watch and tie pin to match. But his attitude wasn't classy in the least.

“A natural winner wouldn't see a point in bragging about it like that,” Calem said, hoping that if he got the guy's attention off Trevor, he and Merlin could get back and do whatever they needed to keep Trevor okay. “That sounded more like a bully's statement.”

“And who are you to call judgment on me?” the bully said, turning his attention to him. “You seem like some low-brow foreigner with no connection to our fine land, so you have no idea what you're saying in downplaying a natural noble like me.”

“Well I won't deny that what you're saying is true, but I’m also being honest in what I say,” he said. “All of your claims seem like nothing but hot air to me.” He felt a little bad to be talking like that, but he told himself to at least look confident in it.

“How did a rude rube like you get in?” he said, angered. Meanwhile, Trevor and Merlin had gotten to a chair by the wall, out of the way. He was handling the aura dampeners on his own, so he shouldn't be too bad.

“I'm one of Serena's friends, that's why,” Calem said.

The bully crossed his arms over his chest and smirked. “Yeah, that's the only way you could've gotten in. But what makes you worthy of attention from the princess? A lowly guy like you, with one of the few royals in Kalos?”

Calem raised his eyebrows; this was new. “She's royalty, huh? She never mentioned that to me, even though we're in the same classes and hang out afterwards.”

“Of course she's royalty!” he said, getting mad again. “There's only two families that can be reliably traced back to the true Kalos royalty: the de Kalos family that owns Parfume Palace and the Dupont family that owns this Battle Chalet. They eventually go back to the same person, Leonidas de Kalos who was a king nearly three thousand years ago. What's she thinking hanging out with someone like you?”

“Only she knows that,” Calem replied with a smile. “And what meaning does that hold anyhow? It was three thousand years ago and I’m sure there were other kings since then.”

“Only those descended from the de Kalos line have the divine right to rule Kalos. And people like you should show more respect for that. Hmph, well let me show you what nobility in Kalos entails. Ready to battle?”

“Sure, why not?” Calem said, snapping his fingers to get Swift to his side and Mortan to float off his shoulder.

This young nobleman did have three Pokemon. However, the type match-ups were not in his favor. Swift was easily able to handle his Charmeleon. And thanks to Professor Sycamore's advice, Calem knew that Mortan would have just as little trouble dispatching the Sneasel. The Furfrou could have been trouble, but it didn't seem to be as experienced as the other two. When the Flabebe and Froakie worked together, they took it down with only the latter taking damage.

“He-hey, why can't you show respect?” the young nobleman asked, backing up a step.

“Oh, thanks for the battle,” Calem said as he knelt down to use a healing potion on Swift. “You have some interesting Pokemon.”

“I don't mean that,” he said, disgusted. “Why did you win?”

After giving it a thought, Calem decided to mess with him since he'd been messing with Trevor. He shrugged. “I dunno, maybe because I used some tactics instead of none? I've seen Furfrou used in some really effective ways before, but not like that.” One of his classmates in Sycamore's homeroom had a Furfrou that she used to really great effect, making sure that any battle against it would take a lot of effort on her opponent's part.

“That's it, I'm gonna make you really prove yourself,” he said, throwing his fist down as if in challenge.

“Outside a Pokemon battle?” Calem asked. “I didn't think they allowed that.”

“Nothing that crude and violent, sheesh. Do you have a bike? Meet me out front in five minutes.” He huffed and strode off.

Instead of trying to call after the bully, Calem went over to Trevor and sat in a chair next to him. “Are you okay now?” he asked.

Trevor nodded, although he looked worn out despite being not long after lunch. “Yeah, I got it taken care of in time. Thanks for distracting him Calem; that was close and I wasn't sure how to get out politely. And, sorry.”

Calem shook his head. “Don't worry about it. I think I can handle whatever he throws at me. But if he's going to be taking me somewhere on a bike, we should find one of the others for you to stick around. Unless you're tired?”

Trevor hopped out of the chair. “Oh, well, I think I’ll be okay if I didn't do anything really active. Yeah, let's go find Shauna or someone.”

Getting out of the chair, Calem asked, “You sure you want to hang around Shauna if you don't feel like being active?”

“Oh, right, that could be a problem,” he said with a smile.

Feeling glad to have cheered him up, Calem walked with Trevor through the Chalet until they found one of their friends. It happened to be Shauna, so they told her what was up and she agreed to look after Trevor. Calem had a folding bike in computer storage, so he went back upstairs to the guest rooms to pick it up, then came back down to the front doors. What would the bully ask him to do now? Hopefully the staff stopped anything that would be real trouble.

* * *

Lesson Four: Social Studies (Kalos Nobility 1)

The idea of having a noble birthright has been established in Kalos for thousands of years, but the current system was only written into law at the start of the Dupont royal family's reign ( _approximately 1500 years ago_ ). After many attempts to rule the kingdom under one person, the laws of nobility were set up as a form of bureaucracy and order. The king ( _later, queen if established as head of the family)_ ruled over all; his word was law and his authority was absolute. He gave ownership of the land and other powers to the noble families who supported him, taking it away if they displeased them. Those who answered directly to the king were the grand marchions, anywhere from four to seven in number.

In most cases, the marchions further divided up their land among viscounts who answered to them, often giving these positions to children who would not inherit the main title or to loyal friends. These lands were then managed by local baronets. The lowest class of nobility were the landless barons, who often had no official powers either but had noble lineage and were often considered preferable for higher nobles to marry over the peasant class who rented land, buildings, and other properties from them. Making up the greatest percentage of the population ( _anywhere from 70 to 90 percent_ ), the peasants were the people who farmed the land, built the structures, managed small businesses, sold most items, and served the nobility. By law, the nobles owned what the people who lived on their land used and made. The nobles settled disagreements among their people, collected taxes for the king, and enforced the laws given by the king. ( _as it should be)_

The system was far from perfect. The peasants were allowed to revolt against their ruling noble, but they had to get the noble of the next level up ( _or even the king_ ) to back them up. At times, this led nobility to be mindful and fair. Other times, the nobility banded together to quiet revolts in severe manners. It did not help that much of the best education, especially in magic ( _at times machinery_ ) and managing Pokemon, was kept within noble ranks, as were the strongest magical artifacts. The common people often did not have much to rebel against their noble leaders with.

The power of the nobility even rivaled the power of royalty at times. Some of the Dupont kings were little more than puppets for powerful noble families who kept tight strings on them. On the other hand, there were also kings who were so charismatic or paranoid that they neutered the power of the nobility, forcing them to follow strict manners and fulfill whatever whim the king had. ( _they were all fools; if they had been sensible, they could have kept the system functioning smoothly)_

The reign of King Thomas Dupont the Fifth brought out some of the worst parts of the system of nobility, leading to the downfall of noble and royal power. Told he was descended from the bloodlines of the Dupont and the ancient de Kalos bloodlines _(we have lineage charts to prove that, no need to be politically correct),_ he was a proud and lavish ( _and great)_ king. He ordered the nobles to spend much of their time within his palaces, away from the places they managed. This left the farmlands and villages to be ruled by young nobles who did not have the experience or restraint that their elders in the king's court had, leading to a discontent among the people. Unhappy with this arrangement, the nobles schemed ( _idiotically)_ to dethrone the king, only to argue amongst themselves who should take over in his place. Eventually, King Thomas was assassinated in a bloody ( _sad)_ battle with his court. The noble families then turned on each other while the king's son struggled to regain control. He grew disillusioned with them and had nobles executed on increasingly flimsy excuses. However, this weakening of the nobility made it easier for the common people to revolt against the nobles and the king. This led to a violent series of civil wars that only ended due to a hostile manifestation of Yveltal.

( _Teacher's note: Please do not write in your textbook any further.)_


	5. A Noise in the Grass

_That challenge that the young nobleman gave me, I won't ever forget it. I'm almost certain that he had no idea what it would lead to. But it's that bit of doubt that could very well justify my current paranoia._

Outside, he found that Trevor and Shauna were there out of curiosity. The young nobleman was standing by a bike that was black with gold-colored detailing. He gave a snubbing look at Calem's bike, then handed him three black Pokeballs. “Here, we're going to have a Pokemon catching competition.”

“Awesome!” Shauna said, jumping in place. “Can we judge?”

“Probably not, because you'd give me an unfair advantage as you're both my friends,” Calem said.

“Oh, right,” she said, calming down. “But I still wanna see the results!”

“We can have the staff in the front room judge, they should be good,” the nobleman said. “You have those three Pokeballs and I have three as well. We'll be back in an hour, but I’m going to take you to a special place. We're going to compete to see who can get a Pokemon most befitting of royalty. After all, neither you have now would be worthy of royalty.”

“W-what?” Mortan asked, sputtering with fury. Calem glanced down at his shoulder in surprise.

The nobleman looked puzzled. “Did you just say something?”

“No, you must be hearing things,” Calem said. Normally Mortan was more careful about not being overheard, but something about this made him lose self-control. “Okay, not a lot of time, but I'll give it my best shot.”

“Someone like you is going to need more than that,” the nobleman said, getting on his bike. Calem joined him and they rode off east. Past a small bridge, they came to an intersection where Route 7 met Route 6, heading sharply northwest.

After a few minutes biking down Route 6's hedge-lined dirt lane, they came to a paved road heading directly north. The road was lined with mirror-precise trees and bushes, then surrounded by huge fields of thick grass that towered over their heads. On the far side of the road, Calem could just see a large building at the end, something that was even bigger than the Battle Chalet. He was curious to see it, but it was here in the grassy fields that the nobleman wanted to hold their competition.

Once they had split up, Mortan reached over and patted his neck. “Come on, Calem, let's go show up that good-for-nothing blowhard. I'll help you by finding out which Pokemon want to go with a human.”

He nodded. “Thanks, but what's gotten into you? I don't think I've ever seen you get mad before, but it seemed like you were glaring daggers at him.”

“Oh, that.” Embarrassed now, the Flabebe went quiet.

“Were you owned by royalty at one point?” he asked. “Or was it an insult because you're a servant of the gods and more than that?”

“Ah, well... actually, I was. It was a long time ago, before I became a servant. My best friend, probably ever, was a king.” After a pause, he hurriedly added, “Not that you're bad, you're a friend to me now. But he... we were the brightest point of each other's lives. One would have thought that he had everything he could ever want and I was spoiled more than any other Pokemon in Kalos. But that was just how things appeared. The truth was worse, people were mean to him. A lot of them would say, usually behind his back, that he didn't seem like he should be a king, even though he did lots of great things for the kingdom. I guess that idiot ticked me off because of that.”

“Even after a long time?” Calem asked. “Your friend must have really meant a lot to you.”

Mortan sighed. “Yeah,” he said sadly. “I didn't care if he was king or not. Oh, but we shouldn't be wasting time. I'll tell you more later.”

“All right.” He pushed some grasses aside and noticed that there was a path ahead. He headed for that while asking, “So what kind of Pokemon should we be looking for?”

“Hmm, we'll just have to see what's here. But this should be a good place. I'm not sure what that jerk or the judges will want to see. In my experience, Furfrou would actually be a good choice. Sure, some of them look pretty silly these days, but in the past, they used to be part of the royal guard along with Aeigislash and Bisharp. Um, I don't know if Bisharp would be around here. And you won't be finding an Aeigislash, although we might come across its lower form of Honedge if we're lucky. Pyroar would be pretty good too, but an actual Pyroar might be too proud to consent to capture. As for anything else, we'll just see what we find.”

They came out onto a narrow path cut into the tall grass. Sharp turns made it hard to see where this path might lead or how long it would be. In the middle of one path, they saw a pink and white Pokemon that looked a bit like a teddy bear. No, Calem thought, like the Spinda bear doll that one of his old friends used to carry around constantly. The real Spinda was twirling about, tilting its upper half back and forth in a way that was dizzying to watch.

“What in the world is that Pokemon?” Mortan asked.

“You don't know?” Calem asked. “It's a Spinda.”

“Oh. Would it be associated with royalty?”

“I don't think so,” he said. “And if you don't recognize it, I guess it wouldn't be associated with Kalos royalty. Huh, but Teirno might like to know it's here. He likes dancing and is fascinated by how Pokemon move; he'd get a real kick out of this one. I'll let him know later.” Calem decided to follow the path in the opposite direction, running his hand along the line of grass. Maybe that would get the attention of the Pokemon hiding there.

It seemed to work, as they ran across an Espurr and a Ledyba before long. Mortan seemed unsure about those two, so Calem let them go and kept looking. Eventually, a Furfrou jumped onto the path ahead of them and barked.

“Oh, this one should be good,” Mortan said. “He's asking if we're good enough to be his friends. Are you looking for a Trainer?”

The Furfrou seemed to confirm that, so Calem nodded. “Okay. I need you to keep helping me so... Swift, where are you?”

There was a flash of blue from the grasses with barely a sound, and the Froakie was sitting between him and the Furfrou. Swift gave a few croaks, then took a ready position to wait for orders. The Furfrou barked and the battle quickly begun.

After some time, when both Swift and the Furfrou seemed to be weakening, Calem said, “Okay, Furfrou, we're involved in a Pokemon catching competition. Would you mind coming along with us to help?”

The Furfrou barked, something Mortan translated to, “Play with you? Yes!” Calem used one of the Luxury Pokeballs to capture it. As it sealed shut successfully, there was a plop on the ground just behind Calem's feet. He looked and saw that it was another Spinda... no wait, it was the same one; it had the same three-leaf clover shaped mark over its left eye. But instead of acting clumsy, the Spinda got itself on its front paws, twirled around, then spun its body so that it was standing upright again.

“You again?” Calem asked.

The Spinda put a paw to its chin and tilted its head at what looked like an uncomfortable angle. Mortan floated off into the air and looked at him, then shook his head and turned back around. “He says that he had some reason to follow us, but he forgot it.” Meanwhile, the Spinda twirled around and passed them at the edges of the grass, making a loud rustle as he did so.

“At least he's carefree and honest about it,” Calem said. “Maybe we should try to pick him up and see if Teirno wants a dance partner.”

At that, the Spinda squealed, then spun even more, out of the path. Mortan returned to Calem's shoulder. “After him! He said that's why, we mentioned dancing. But now he's getting away.”

Calem started to run. “Sheesh. Slow him down, would you Swift?” He heard a croak and then the Froakie disappeared into the tall grass again.

After a couple of turns, they came out to a square-shaped opening in the tall grasses. There was a bench here for some reason; perhaps this had been a better tended area previously. In front of the bench, Swift was rubbing her nose in a contented manner. The Spinda was sprawled out on the ground, limbs all askew. But right as Calem was going to ask if she had knocked him out, the Spinda sat up and shook his head as if to clear it.

Calem went over and crouched by the two Pokemon. “Okay Spinda, can you hold still for a bit and listen? Please?”

“TeEEeeeEeEEEe,” the Spinda said. Even his voice seemed to be spinning around dizzily.

“He'll give us a minute or so,” Mortan said, causing the Spinda to put on a curious look.

“Good, then,” the Spinda's head was twisting about, looking at all of them in quick succession. Calem put his hand on the Spinda's head so that it sat still while he talked to him. “I came here looking for regal Pokemon, but actually, one of my friends loves to dance and Pokemon who can dance. He'd be thrilled to meet you. Do you mind if I capture you and give you to him? You can always part if it doesn't work out, but I think you two would get along.”

“HaaaAAaaaAaaaAaa,” the Spinda said.

“Huh?” Mortan asked. “He says that's no trouble to him, but there will be trou...” the Flabebe then gasped. Swift had also stopped her grooming and was poised for battle again. “Uuh... yeah, we're in trouble.”

“How so?” Calem asked, not seeing what was wrong at first. There were some rustling sounds in the grass nearby, but that was just Pokemon, right? Even so, he captured the Spinda in one of the Luxury Balls, just in case.

Then there was a clear rattling of the grass, from all directions. Seven Pokemon emerged from the grass, making the small opening seem crowded and closed in. Each one of them was a strange floating sword, with long tassels linking them to sheaths. Most of them were silver bladed with rich blue tassels. However, the one on the other side of the bench from Calem was the color of blood, with black in its handle and sheath. That one was particularly ominous, although being surrounded by any Pokemon would be worrisome.

Mortan and Swift backed up closer to him protectively. “Hey, we're not here to make trouble,” Calem said, trying to keep his voice confident as he stood up. Metallic voices answered him and some (including the red one) quivered. Mocking him, or nervous too? “What are these Pokemon?”

“They're Honedge,” Mortan said. “They would work, but, um, this is bad. They don't seem right. Hmm?” He floated off Calem's shoulder to look at the red one. “What? No, we're not waiting on a girl. Why're you...? Ah, huh.” He turned back to Calem. “It's in their nature to drain aura from other beings and... we happened upon their hunting party.”

“Oh. Well then, if we prove that we're strong, would you let us go?” Calem asked. The Honedges made shrill metallic sounds, like snickering or hating.

“They're going to be tough,” Mortan said as Calem got ready to release the other two Pokemon he had. “And something doesn't seem right with them. I've never seen any Honedge act like this, even when hunting.”

“Yes, so we'll just have to give them all that we've got,” he said. “Okay, on the attack! Do what you can.” He used Rain Dance while the rest went into motion; rainy conditions would make it easier on him to get through this tough match. But of his Pokemon, he wasn't sure who or what would be most effective.

Immediately, a horrible sound filled Calem's ears. It was screechy and metallic, like a metal fork being dragged across a ceramic plate. He tried to cover his ears, but it still came through. As water droplets dripped down his face, he realized that the Honedges could hear this too, but nothing else would. It made no sense to him, although it filled him with dread.

The Spinda went into a bewilderingly quick dance. It made a circle appear between their group and the hunting Honedges, then sent many little lights shooting in dizzying patterns among the sword Pokemon. The Spinda then slipped and fell on the ground, gasping even though nothing had hit him yet; it seemed whatever he did took a lot of energy. However, it worked amazingly to confuse the most of the Honedge party. The red one managed to resist, coming into the spell's boundary. The rest were soon fighting with each other.

Swift did not even croak a warning before she launched herself at the red Honedge, trying to knock him away from Calem. His body faded for a moment and she passed right through his blade. Then he whirled his tassel around and smacked Calem with his sheath, knocking him over. The boy's arm throbbed and tingled where the Honedge had struck. Did they have a cursed touch? Swift immediately used Water Gun on the red Honedge, but he evaded the attack and fling his tassel around Calem's head. Tightening his grip, he brought himself closer. Calem's mind suddenly filled with murderous thoughts, but not his own. It was like something was ordering him to kill, ordering anyone who could hear to kill. Afraid of those thoughts, he reached up and tried to throw the Honedge off.

“Don't touch it, Calem!” Mortan warned, right before a gray glow appeared around him and the red Honedge. There was a quick flash, like the shining blade of a guillotine, passing barely by his ears. But the attack only struck the Honedge, causing him to let go and back up. The way the strange eyes on his hilt looked, he was only keeping conscious through sheer willpower alone. He made some sounds like those of the blades clashing around them, blurring with the screechy awful sounds.

“What's he saying?” Calem asked. His legs felt weak, so he didn't try to get back up. At least the murderous thoughts were fading. But there were flashes of light returning to him. Although confused, the other Honedge had defeated the three other Pokemon, leaving just the Flabebe with him.

“It could have killed you in a few seconds,” Mortan said, floating back closer to him but facing the red Honedge. “Why do you care what it says?”

“Well he's a hunter, and seems to be intelligent. Thanks for stopping him, Mortan.”

“Um, I'm just doing what any Pokemon would, for its Trainer,” the Flabebe said. Then there was a slicing sound from the red Honedge right before it attacked. Mortan was down too, leaving Calem alone with these strangely murderous Pokemon. And that wicked noise, grating against his mind.

Somewhere in that racket, he heard the grasses being moved. Four other Honedge showed up, all blue ones. They started arguing with the confused ones. Strangely, the red Honedge came closer and seemed to be against the new ones. Protecting him? Calem wondered if he could run away to get his Pokemon healed. At least get out of this demonic noise so he could think clearly. But the blue Honedge intimidated the red one, almost bringing him to tears it seemed like. Then they pointed their blades at Calem, forcing him to move.

His body ached and his legs didn't feel steady, but Calem got up and followed their lead. It seemed to be the better option, as compared to possibly getting sliced up. Even if they did hunt other Pokemon and humans for energy, he thought that they wouldn't kill their victims. If a Pokemon actually killed a human, then there was something very wrong with it.

Unfortunately, the noise did not relent, getting clearer as they approached a rather new structure hidden past the overgrown grasses. It was a simple block of concrete that gave a flat surface to an ugly green metal box. Something with the power system? The rain from his spell was clearing out, so he couldn't read it as easily. But now the sound was giving him those deadly thoughts again, one of which was particularly disturbing: sacrifice another to silence the nightmares. That was why the Honedge had brought him here. They were trying to stop this thing that was driving them crazy.

Was it? Fearful, Calem turned back around to see that six Honedge were with him now, including the red one. They seemed to be arguing again, one of the blue ones forcing a healing berry on the red one. It all seemed bizarre. But more importantly, how was he going to get out of this? Only one was at his side now, so if he could somehow throw that one off... but did he have the energy to run from them? He could barely stand here. As the rain ended, he sat on the edge of the concrete block, hoping he could get enough energy back to run before it was too late.

Then the rain picked back up. Strange; he hadn't recast it. He looked up and saw the enchanted clouds, with perfectly clear blue skies right around it. It wasn't supposed to rain today. Not only that, but this rain felt different from what he summoned. It was cold and foreboding, making him feel sick with dread. But it was back, so he could tell more of what was going on...

The Honedge certainly meant to sacrifice him to stop their torment, but they didn't want to. That was the cause of the arguments. Since none of them wanted to kill but all were desperate, the blue ones were harassing the red one into doing it. They didn't like him, thinking his color was ominous. Maybe even an omen of this event. The red one was scared of the others for their past treatment of him. Still, even he didn't want to take another's life entirely.

In contrast, the box that was tormenting them felt nothing. It was a machine, after all. In his heightened awareness next to it, Calem could catch thoughts of the machine's creator: pride, diligence, not a speck of compassion. This device was to create strife for some greater purpose. The machinist thought, what does it matter that some Pokemon are tormented and some people killed? The feelings it would send throughout Kalos were what was needed. The goal was worth any cost.

Calem put his head in his hands; the noise was starting to make his mind hurt. “I don't want to die,” he said to himself. So he had to do something.

“Then you should kill them before they kill you,” a ragged voice just behind him said. And it wasn't something he could barely interpret because of the rain. This was someone speaking a language he understood.

He put down his hands and turned his head quickly, startled that he hadn't noticed anyone approaching him. There was a hooded man crouched near him. Or wait... was this human? He had no eyes whatsoever, a stub and holes that might have been a nose, and thin scars where he should have lips; this was more like someone had wrapped skin over a human skull without thinking to give it any features. Spidery black marks covered the right half of his non-face, and were matched by markings on his right hand as he offered Calem something. A long knife of some kind... no, he could tell in the rain that it was an enchanted dagger and it would be deadly to anything that met its blade.

This faceless man was more terrifying than the Honedge; he certainly had no remorse about killing and had none of the presence that a normal person would have. Calem tried to get up and run immediately, but quickly tripped and fell back onto the ground. Noticing that, the Honedge quieted and looked over at them. The faceless man gave a short chuckle and appeared next to the noisy boxed machine, seemingly moving without actually moving. “Calem, don't try to run. I can always find you. But then, I probably won't actually hurt you. On the other hand, these foolish blades need to die for trying to kill you. Do it.”

“N-no,” he said, hoping that this man-creature's 'probably actually' was closer to 'I won't hurt you' than not.

He hissed in annoyance. “You don't want to rebel against me. I have mastered my power; you can barely grasp your own.”

“A-ar-are you really th-that strong?” Calem closed his eyes, silently cursing his fear. He was trying to be cool, like heroes in action movies who tricked the bad guys into doing what they wanted. Like stopping the machine making that infernal noise.

“You're a pitiful liar,” the faceless man said. “You should be able to tell that even at your level.”

“But I can barely sense you, I don't really know who you are,” he said. To some degree, that was the truth. Even in this sunny rain, the faceless man seemed like little more than a shadow to his aura sense. He did think that it was a strong possibility that he could feel the man's power through the rain he had brought with him: cold, foreboding, and dangerous.

“How can you not even know that?” he said, angered. He slammed his fist into the strange box. Even though he looked so thin and shadowy, he shattered the thin plate of metal like a brick hitting glass. The shards of it cut through the machinery inside, causing the noise to stop. Satisfied with that demonstration, he appeared next to Calem. “If you don't figure that out, you're going to remain ignorant and powerless. Ask your coward of a father, and let him know that I'm not going to forgive him now. Maybe not now, maybe not this year, but I will punish him for this negligence and betrayal.”

While the faceless man was ranting, Calem sensed that the Honedge had moved. Most had retreated from the area, now that the noise was gone. However, the red one approached them instead. The Honedge got himself within a few feet of them, then lunged forward in an attempt to strike at the faceless man's head.

The attack didn't connect, as the man slipped away right before it hit. “You foolish Pokemon,” he growled as pink sparkles appeared around him. “You don't have the will to deal death. I'll...” he would have killed the Honedge, Calem sensed that. But then the pink aura latched onto his hands, acting as chains. “Tch, you got lucky. Don't try that again.” Then he vanished, this time surrounded by the pink chains rather than his shadowy warping. The foreboding rain began to lighten.

“What in the world was that?” Calem asked. His dad knew something about this deadly presence? It was strange. But then again, he felt grateful that he'd managed to escape death a second time, somehow.

The red Honedge looked around, as if worried that the faceless man would reappear. But when he didn't, the sword Pokemon came back to Calem's side. Now that the noise was gone, he seemed more upset than dangerous. He said some metallic words, some kind of an apology. Then, he held his sheath out in front of himself, horizontally, as if offering it to Calem. Offering himself?

It was a weapon he'd rather have than that dagger, Calem thought as he nodded. “Okay, I accept your apology. It was only because of this thing, right? Thank goodness he stopped it.” He brought out his last Luxury Ball and, after making sure, captured the Honedge.

But then, what did he do now? He still felt weakened, definitely too tired to bike or walk back to the Chateau. After releasing the Honedge and telling him so, the sword Pokemon left for a moment, returning with a Kadabra. The rain was gone at some point, but the Kadabra was capable of telepathy and told him that she owed the Honedge (and thus Calem as his Trainer) a favor that would be used to get them back. Calem asked the Kadabra to let him fetch his bike, then take him back to the Chateau's entrance. With that favor returned, the Kadabra immediately disappeared to return back to her home.

Not long after they arrived, one of the maids came out of the doors. “Calem, are you all right?” she asked.

“I had a close call in a really strange encounter,” he said, sitting on the steps and shivering a little at remembering it.

She offered him a hand. “Well come back inside and I'll get you some tea; it should help calm you down.”

“Thanks. Oh, can you heal my Pokemon back up? Most of them are unconscious.”

“Certainly, we'll tend to them immediately.”

When the hour had passed, a group had gathered in the entrance room. There were the usual servants and a couple other young nobility that might've been the other guy's friends, as well as Calem's friends. Last of all, Calem's competitor came in the front door. “Welcome back,” a maid said. “You're a few minutes later than planned, but within good time.”

“What, you were timing us?” the young nobleman said, shutting the door behind him.

She gave a small bow. “Of course. If you're going to be having us judge any competition, we'll keep it to our standards. Miss Serena's friends said that you were after Pokemon worthy of royalty, correct? May we see the Pokeballs of those you caught to confirm the capture date and location?”

“Sure thing,” he said, handing over two Pokeballs. Calem nodded and got out the three he had used. While he'd calmed his fear, his nerves were still on edge and he wanted nothing more than to get out of the battle area as soon as he could. No more fighting for today.

“How many did you each use?” the maid asked.

“Five,” the nobleman said.

“Five?” Calem asked. “You only gave me these three.”

“Yeah, that's right,” Shauna said. “I saw it happen.”

“Slanting your chances before you began, Larry?” Serena asked. “Sorry Calem, I would've warned you if I'd seen it happen.”

“Please don't call me Larry,” the young nobleman said, irritated but trying not annoy Serena further. “You know I don't like that.”

Serena smiled sweetly. “Then don't trouble my friends like you did.”

“Well three out of three is an excellent rate for Luxury Balls,” the maid said, examining them. “But that's not what your competition was about. So then, Larry has... a Furfrou and a Sigilyph, ah, very nice! The Furfrou is tightly linked to Kalos royalty, the Sigilyph to rulers of even more ancient lands. And Calem... has a Furfrou as well, a Spinda, and a Honedge. Well I don't think Spinda is related to any royalty.”

“I knew that,” Calem said. “I picked it up to show one of my friends.”

The maid bowed. “Ah, probably a good idea. I haven't ever seen a Spinda in this area, or along Route 6, so it's quite the lucky encounter for you. As for the Honedge, that's a good one for royalty, especially a young one. If taken care of properly, it will grow to become an Aeigislash, known as the king's sword even today.”

“So it's a tie then?” the young nobleman asked, disappointed.

“Perhaps,” the maid said. “But, there's two more factors that need to be considered. And one is, this Honedge... the status screen notes that this is a red one.”

“What?” he asked, stunned. Then the blue ones were more common, Calem thought.

The maid nodded. “It's a rare coloration for a Honedge, quite special. With a unique factor to that, I would say that it is more fitting of royalty than a Sigilyph, and you tied on the Furfrou. That gives an edge to Calem.”

“Then what's the other factor?” Calem asked.

“Attitude. I heard from one of the butlers that the whole match started because Lawrence was being harsh to a child, and Calem stepped in to defend against you. It was different in the past, but here in the Chateau, your behavior must be on par with your ranking for you to earn full respect from the staff. Calem's chivalrous actions are more befitting of someone deserving royal status than yours. Thus, I must give the match to Calem, both on the Pokemon and on himself. Congratulations.” She then handed back the Pokeballs.

“Now that isn't fair,” the young nobleman complained, taking his Pokemon back.

“Neither is picking on somebody smaller than you,” Shauna said with a glare. Never mind that she was still as short as Trevor.

“Was there something at stake for this match?” Serena asked, coming over.

“No, but I consider the Pokemon reward enough,” Calem said, setting the Honedge and Furfrou in his party slot. That and being alive, but on thinking it over, he wasn't sure if he was ready to talk about it. Would they believe him? “I wouldn't have been able to afford these kind of Pokeballs. Oh yeah, here Teirno; I thought you'd like this Spinda.” He released it; the spotted bear promptly teetered around, trying to figure out who was the dancer.

Teirno's eyes widened at that, watching the Spinda. “Cool, I've never actually seen one except in pictures!” He tried to mimic it, but the Spinda went quickly into moves that required more dexterity than Teirno had.

“I could do something about a reward,” the maid said. “There've been other complaints about you, Lawrence, even after we warned you, so we're knocking you down to the Baron rank.” This got a frown from the nobleman, but he didn't storm off until she continued by saying, “And you've been Miss Serena's guest this weekend, Calem, but from how you've conducted yourself, I'll put together an official invitation and members card for you. You'll be starting at the lowest rank of Viscount, but with victories and a continuing of your good behaviors, you could earn higher titles of nobility in time.”

* * *

Later that day, they met Serena's parents for the first time. Calem recognized her mother after a moment as the famed Pokemon racer Grace; she had aged a little since her earlier days as a sports star, but was getting back into racing. She was boisterous and playful, more like Shauna than Serena. On the other hand, Serena's father Richard was a dignified gentleman who was much like his daughter in personality. He recited a prayer before their meal and had a formal setting placed, even if it was just family and friends there.

Because of that, Calem felt obligated to speak formally with the man when starting a conversation. “Excuse me, but do you know much about the Pokemon Honedge?”

Richard nodded. “Yes, I’ve been using one in various team setups for a while. What would you like to know?”

“Well I'm not entirely certain, but something odd is going on with the wild Honedges along Route 6,” he said. “I was there a little while catching Pokemon today and the battle I had with them was very different from the rest. For one thing, me and my Pokemon got surrounded by seven at once.”

“Then you encountered a horde? Various Pokemon will do that, especially the weaker ones who band together to defend themselves against stronger wild Pokemon.” He set his fork down before rubbing his beard. “Seven is a rather large one; you usually encounter four or five.”

“They'll group together like that?” Teirno said, intrigued. “Wow, that'd be cool to see.”

Richard smiled. “Yes, although it can prove difficult if you're not prepared.”

“Actually, that Spinda was able to use a confusion move on all of them, which helped a lot,” Calem said. This was going to be tricky to convey, since he didn't want to reveal that the Flabebe sitting on the back of his chair could speak like a human. “But there was something about them that felt different. They were attacking either aggressively or fearfully, more than any other Pokemon I've seen. And my own Pokemon acted different in reaction to them; they were wary and more protective of me than usual. Also, I got Rain Dance up because I have better awareness in rainy conditions, and once I did, I was hearing this horrible nightmarish noise. I believe only they could hear it.”

“Now that is odd,” Richard said. “I could understand if they seem more aggressive. Some of the Honedge line are simply like that. But fearful, of a group like yours? No, don't take it the wrong way; they normally wouldn't be afraid of a Trainer and some other Pokemon. If anything, they're more likely to be sly fighters, waiting for the right moment to strike and trying to get their opponent to touch their hilt.”

“That's the handle part, right?” Shauna asked. “Is it because they're a sword?”

He shook his head. “No, that's part of a deception. Touching their hilt without proper safeguards will drain the life out of anyone.”

“One of them did get close enough to do that to me,” Calem said. When Richard looked right at him, he added, “It was the first move he made after they surrounded us. As the rain was up, I felt a murderous intent at that, but I'm almost certain it wasn't from the Honedge; it was from something else that was tormenting them. He was the one that I captured, actually.”

“Whoa, really?” Teirno asked, shocked to hear that. Others were too, including Serena and Edward. “It was different, but that'd make me too spooked to even consider capturing it.”

“It did scare me,” Calem admitted. “But then things got stranger after my Pokemon fainted. They brought me to some kind of device that was emitting the sound. Right there, it was nightmarish. I'm not even sure what I saw there really happened, but the red Honedge eventually drove off a dangerous spirit from me and offered to help me. The device did get damaged, so the noise stopped. But it's still there and someone might be able to fix it, whoever put it there in the first place.”

“That doesn't sound right,” Richard said in concern. “That device should be investigated. Were there any other Pokemon acting strangely?”

He shook his head. “Not that I saw. Mine weren't worried until the surprise horde battle and the other two I captured seem perfectly fine.”

“I'll go check it out tonight. But first, may I take your Honedge to a Pokemon doctor? You should get it thoroughly checked out before you use it, given the circumstances of its capture. Since I’ll be using the information to figure this mystery out, I’ll cover the cost of the exam.”

“Sure thank you. May I come along? I want to know about it too.”

“Certainly, glad you asked.”

_He took me all the way to another town in order to meet with a specialist. The Honedge, which I named Percival on Richard's suggestions, showed signs of malnutrition. The doctor said that was normal for certain alternate color Pokemon, as many Pokemon were intelligent enough to hold superstitions and feel like different ones were ill-fated. Other than that, nothing was physically wrong with him._

_Mentally was a different issue. He showed signs of living in stressful conditions, and with some questions, I was able to get Percival to agree that he and his kin had been having nightmares. There was once during the exam when he got agitated suddenly and seemed like he was going to attack, but we were able to get him to calm down. On seeing that, the doctor said there was something going wrong with his aura, like a glitch or curse that was affecting his judgment. I had to leave Percival with the doctor for a few weeks until they could figure out how to undo that particular curse, so that he wouldn't attack inappropriately._

* * *

_Once we got back to the Chateau, Richard took off for Route 6, to look into it himself. He actually got hurt by the afflicted wild Honedge; it even appeared on the Kalos news broadcasts from the Holocaster network. But being hurt didn't bother Richard. He was more concerned for the Pokemon and figuring out what was causing them problems. The answers wouldn't come for some time, even as they managed to relieve the problem temporarily for the wild Honedge._

_As for my father... he tried to help, but his words just worried me even more._

The Battle Chateau was open at all hours, at least the southern rooms where battles were held. But the northern end and the top floor were private to Serena's family, making them much quieter. In a window seat of one of the first floor halls, Calem could hear the lapping of the river below, the rustle of trees on the northern bank, and night Pokemon starting to call out to each other. The moon was reflected in the rippling surface of the river; a cool breeze came in through the open window. Occasionally, he could hear faint footsteps in other rooms, but he was the only one in this hall right now. He'd excused himself from the evening activities to call his dad.

Having more confidence that his dad would believe him more readily, Calem described the whole incident to him. “And when that faceless man was around, he acted like I should know who he was and what he was talking about. When I said I didn't he got angry at you and said that he wouldn't forgive you, and that he'd punish you at some point.”

His father, who had been quietly in listening, finally said, “I thought there'd be more time before they tried contacting you. It would've been over faster then, but you've still got several years...” He cursed quietly, something he rarely did.

“Dad?” Calem asked, his mind recalling the fright of this afternoon exactly now. “What... what was that man?”

“No one you should listen to,” he said. “That's the most important thing: don't do what they say, don't trust them. They won't hurt you, at least not seriously at this point.”

“They? I only saw one.”

“That might've been luck and only that one has found you so far. Don't worry about knowing who they are; that will only make it easier for them to find you. If they find you again, don't trust them and tell them to leave you alone. Or better yet, just ignore them. That's safest.”

“Why aren't you telling me anything?” Calem said, feeling torn between fright that there were more like those faceless man out there trying to find him and anger at his dad for not telling him more. “That's what he said was a big problem, that you hadn't told me.”

“I don't want to tell you their name as you saying it might summon them to you,” his dad said, sounding afraid as well.

_I had nightmares about that for weeks afterward, but he still wouldn't tell me._


	6. Bugs and Stars

_Save for the Route 6 incident, my first year at the Lumiose Magic Academy ended well. I had good grades, not the top (because in my homeroom alone, the top grade average was contested between Trevor and Serena) but better than I expected. I went back to Vaniville for summer break and was glad to spend good time with my parents again. However, my parents were busily employed. I ended up spending several days with just their Pokemon and mine, much like past summers. But I didn't have the option to go visit Gran, so I soon got bored. Dad suggested that I look for a temporary job around Vaniville, but I soon found a more interesting option a bit further north from Aquacorde, in Santalune._

At the bus station, Calem checked the newspaper clipping for the address he needed. But on walking a couple of blocks down the colorful old town, it quickly became apparent that he didn't need the address. There was one large building with a semitrailer parked in front of it. The building had been made to fit into this community, but it had an air of newness that the rest he saw did not. In a couple of weeks, this place was going to open as an official Kalos Pokemon League Gym.

Outside of the building, he found a few other kids and a number of Pokemon waiting around a woman. Most of the Pokemon there were Bug type, Calem noted. Then a Bug Gym? He didn't have a Bug Pokemon, although for the first part of this, he probably didn't need one. The woman, after looking over a clipboard, looked at the group. “Okay, anybody else needs to sign up for the job?”

“I'd like to,” Calem called, hurrying over to them. “Sorry for being late.”

She smiled kindly. She had pale brown hair tied up in a ponytail and dressed more like she was out for a hike than setting up a gym. “You're just in time, actually. Okay then, my name is Viola, soon to be the Gym Leader here. What's your name?”

“Calem,” he said, stopping as some of the others parted to let him in the group. “Nice to meet you.”

“You too. Do you have the application letter as it was in the ad?” He nodded and handed it over, leading her to copy a few lines on her clipboard. But one point made her raise her eyebrows. “You're from LMA? Oh dear, I don't think I have the forms for their interns yet.”

He shook his head. “No, that's fine. I don't think I need to be doing that yet.”

She laughed gently. “Oh yes, I see. Anyhow, looks good, so welcome to the crew.” She looked over them in case of another latecomer. “Okay then, the basic structure of the gym is up, but we need to put everything else in place, prepare some set pieces, test the challenge structures, run test battles, and many other small tasks. Let the Pokemon handle the heavy lifting and... let's see...”

That first day, he got assigned to help paint the entrance room with a few other kids. Over the next few days, he helped with more painting, assisted with carpeting the entrance room, created a few sculptures that resembled giant leaves, helped to test the weight capacity of a path of spider webbing, and battled a few times with the other assistants to make sure the Gym was ready. A lot of it was tough work, but they only had to work a few hours a day. And Viola would work alongside them, chatting in a friendly way and making sure the tasks weren't drudgery.

One day, Calem got a surprise when Swift evolved into a Frogadier during some test battles. She didn't change all that much at first; she grew a little larger, refined her look, changed her basic stance. After the work was over, he took her out to Route 22 to see how she performed more out in the open. She was getting quicker and stronger.

He had all of his Pokemon out as usual. Mortan was hiding among some flowers, keeping an eye on Percival. The Honedge was keeping to the shadows of trees rather than joining in. Having gotten him back a couple days ago, Calem knew he should do something to make Percival feel more comfortable with having them as friends. He wasn't sure what, other than just having him around and treating him like the others. His father had said that some Pokemon just needed more time to adjust to being in a Trainer's party; it might be a case like that.

On the other hand, the Furfrou was happily running along the footpath, eager to join battles and get other Pokemon to race him. Calem had the Furfrou race against Swift. The canine Pokemon rushed along in one continuous motion, in a straight line. Opposing him, Swift could make impressively agile bounds, but not actually run. She opted to use a jagged path, landing among grasses that just covered her. At the point where the two of them turned around, she hopped out and landed right in the Furfrou's path. He fumbled immediately in trying not to trip over her, allowing her an extra few seconds to turn and jump back. Swift won.

“That was a clever bit of trickery,” Calem told them, then came over and petted the Furfrou. “But it was trickery in the end, so don't let it get you down. You could've won that.”

The Furfrou barked and licked his face, making him laugh. At that point, someone nearby said, “Your Furfrou's looking a bit rough. How does it even see with its fur like that?”

He looked over and saw someone familiar. “Oh, h-hello Serena,” he said. To hide his bashfulness, he turned back to the Furfrou and lifted the fur from his eyes. “I was wondering that myself, but he doesn't seem to have much trouble. I don't think he looks bad.”

Serena came closer, taking hold of the Furfrou's fur and running it through her fingers. “Maybe to the average person, but a Furfrou admirer would find him quite shaggy.”

“I have wondered if I should get his fur cut, if only to keep him cool as the summer gets hot,” Calem said. “I know I've seen an ad for a groomer in Vaniville.”

“You'd best make sure that the groomer is able to handle a Furfrou,” Serena said. “And once you start trimming them, their fur grows out quickly. You'd have to get it done at least once a week, preferably twice.”

“That much? Seriously? I didn't know that when I got him.” And that was something to be concerned about. If a groomer might need extra training to deal with a Furfrou (which it sounded like from her explanation), then it would probably cost extra too. And this job was due to end soon.

“If you battle regularly, you should be able to handle the costs,” she said, almost reading his mind.

“I have been battling, but I'm not getting much for it directly,” he said. When she gave him a puzzled look, he explained about how he was helping out in the new Gym.

That seemed to impress her. “Oh, you're helping out Viola? That's great; I’ve seen her battle a few times and I’m sure she could give you some interesting tips. Mostly if you... oh, do you have a Bug typed Pokemon?” She glanced around at his Pokemon that were hanging out nearby.

“No, I'm just helping her set up after all,” Calem said.

“You'd get better experience if you kept working with her after the Gym opened, and for that,” Serena smiled at some idea she had. “Actually, I knew about Furfrous since I was thinking about training one myself for a while. It would be different to have to raise one while also keeping attentive to its appearance. So how about we trade? I picked up a Pinsir recently, but I don't think I’ll actually be using her. If I do decide on using a Bug Pokemon, I’ve got another in mind.”

A Pinsir? He couldn't think immediately of what that Pokemon was. But working as a Gym Trainer could be interesting too. And he knew that he could trust the Furfrou's care to Serena. Calem nodded. “All right, that sounds good.” They handled the trade there so that the Furfrou left with Serena as she went east and the Pinsir Nibbles stayed Calem.

To his surprise, Nibbles was as tall as he was, not including the Pinsir's pincers which curved over her head. She was definitely bigger than him, with a wide carapace and small but sturdy legs. Calem tried her out in a few battles, using what he knew about Bug types to decide which ones to keep her out in.

The next person to walk by and talk to him was actually Viola. “Oh hey, you've got a charming new addition,” she said happily, coming into the tall grass to join them.

“She's good, although I'm not sure about charming,” Calem said, making her laugh. “One of my friends came by earlier; she traded me the Pinsir here for my Furfrou.”

“That's a wonderful thing to do, trade Pokemon among friends,” Viola said. “I used to do that a lot when I was a teenager. Are you re-thinking about staying on for the rest of summer?”

“Yeah, although is one enough?” he asked, rubbing his head.

She nodded. “Sure, that'd be fine. Since you're a relatively new Trainer, I’d only assign you to the low level challenges. But if you want to add a second, that would help you out. All you'd need to do is go into Santalune Forest and pick up a Scatterbug there. Scatterbug is an easy Pokemon to start with, but it can still become effective if you put the effort into it. If you decide to not focus on Bug types like me, then it's no trouble to release one back into the forest. Some other Pokemon, you really don't want to let back into the wild if you've trained them far enough. They start to depend on humans and can't make it in the wild as well.”

“How do you know which ones are which?” Calem asked.

Viola thought about it, then shrugged. “Well, it's hard to say. Asking someone like myself, who knows a lot about particular kinds, is best, but I can only judge the fitness and well-being of Bug types. As far as I know, there isn't anybody who'd know about every Pokemon out there and there are some Bug Pokemon that even I don't know much about.” She looked around, then nodded. “Hey Calem, do you know why I chose to have my Gym here? I'm actually from Lumiose and I've been traveling all around Kalos and neighboring regions since I was old enough.”

“Is it because of Santalune Forest?” Calem asked. “The one time I went in there, I did see a lot of Bug Pokemon.”

“That's a small reason, but the big reason is over there. See?” She pointed to a nearby mountain. While other mountains could be seen on clear days, they were all far off on the horizon. Only hills and the flat plains around Lumiose were near this one. “On that mountain lies Victory Road.”

“Really?” Calem asked, looking over the mountain closer. There was an impressive building at a crossroads between Route 22 going east and another path going north and up the mountain. Trees and distance made it hard to make out much else about it.

Viola nodded. “Yup. There's two castles up there. One is ancient and mostly in ruins, possibly the oldest castle structure still in Kalos. According to legends, the king that built it there had such authority over the land that he was sometimes considered a god. Even those that refused to accept him as such recognized that he had a divine aura, enough to sway the true gods. The other castle was built about fifty years ago by the Pokemon League as their final stage. Kalos no longer has a king, but the regional champions, whether in Pokemon training or magic, are often treated like royalty. I love that.”

“Then you made sure that you had the Gym closest to the champion's castle?”

She giggled. “Yes.” She held her hands close together. “By thirty feet! See, Snowbelle is on the other side of this route and there's a Gym there that's been established for a long time, the longest in the Kalos league currently. So when you come to either one of our gyms, you can get a glimpse of your ultimate goal just beyond your reach. I'm waiting on him to come over and tease me for making my gym closer than his.”

Calem laughed. “Shouldn't be too long, I would think. Maybe on opening day?”

“Maybe. Hey, do you plan on taking the League challenge at some point?”

“I'm not sure about that,” he said with a shrug. He knew some kids his age were enthusiastic about battles, even claiming that being a trainer meant that one couldn't honorably turn down a battle. But he'd never felt as excited about it as others seemed to feel. “Maybe later when I know better what I'm doing.”

_I may have told her that, but it didn't stop her from trying to get me interested. Viola seemed that way with everyone; she said her hobby and passion was photography, and it was obvious from her Gym and office that it was so. Yet she was also passionate about Pokemon battling, encouraging those who lost and feeling happy for those who won, even against her. She said that you can tell a lot about a person and their Pokemon in battle. At the time, I thought it was some kind of talent I didn't have. I had more fun in activities that weren't battles._

_Still, I did as she recommended: I caught a Scatterbug and spent the rest of the summer as a trainer of Santalune Gym. Scatterbug was a good Pokemon and grew quickly, to the point where I was soon battling Viviallion against those seeking their badges, up to the fourth (making me the youngest Trainer of that group). But I found myself getting more attached to Nibbles the Pinsir that Serena had given me. Maybe it was because of her. Maybe it was because Mortan said that Viviallion didn't have the intelligence to speak well but Nibbles did, so I could learn about her easier. At any rate, once the summer ended, I let that Viviallion go after Viola got some pictures of it for me. Mortan said that he seemed as happy to be free as he was with me, so I guess he would think well of me._

_But even being in a job where I was running Pokemon battles nearly every day, it didn't really click for me until late in the summer. If you know of me, you probably know what I’m talking about: the time I took the magic challenge of the Santalune Gym without even trying the training badge._

* * *

“Calem, it's for you,” his father said, handing him the house phone. “It's your boss.”

“All right,” he said, taking the phone. “Hello Viola.”

“Hi Calem!” she said cheerfully. “I hope I’m not disrupting anything.”

“No, it's fine. What is it?” He saw Mortan land his flower on top of the phone's base, examining it.

“Would you mind coming in later than you usually do tomorrow? About two o'clock. It's for something special, as if you work normally, you're going to have to quit early because of it.”

“It depends. What do you want me do to?”

“I want you to take my magic challenge.” She sounded serious about it too.

Calem thought about immediately declining. But, she should know he wasn't that interested now. Did she have a reason behind this request? “Why? I've only completed one year at the magic school, so I don't know if I'm ready for something like that.”

“It's fine, don't worry about the difficulty. The requirements for the first proof of magic are easy. After all, the main thing I'd be looking for is seeing how you cast in the heat of battle. I've already seen you use weather-manipulation spells in battle, which is more than enough to pass the first proof. I just can't give it to you unless you make a formal challenge. And, I would really like a first proof challenge to happen tomorrow because I'm at a loss for ideas for the other challenge.”

That was reassuring, but, “What other challenge?”

“Well, I got a call earlier asking for a reservation for an eighth proof challenge tomorrow, at two o'clock. The training badge challenges aren't that tough to plan for, since the league is fine if you do straight battles for any level. I'm still working on what I want for my proof of magic challenges, though, and haven't gotten around to the eighth.”

“And I come into this how?” Viola explained her idea on how to handle it until she had something better. With the reassurance that he should be capable of his first level challenge, Calem agreed to help out. He then said goodbye to her and disconnected the call. But he didn't put the phone back immediately as Mortan was still sitting there. “Something bugging you?”

“A little,” the Flabebe said. He turned his head as Calem's father came back into the room, so floated over to Calem's shoulder to add, “I don't like the phone. I can't hear what the other person is saying.”

“That's how I feel when you talk to other Pokemon,” Calem pointed out.

He blushed. “Oh, right, sorry. I suppose neither of us can help it. What are we gonna do?”

“We're gonna do something a little crazy tomorrow,” he said. Which meant that he had to explain to his now curious parents, but they were happy to hear of it.

The next day, he arrived in Santalune a few minutes before two and hurried to the gym. There was a camera crew there, something that he should have anticipated. Most people weren't interested in watching a low level proof challenge, but as the higher levels happened less often, this eighth level challenge at a new gym was sure to get regional attention. He went to meet Viola in her office and chatted with her until another gym trainer came to tell them that the other challenger was here.

She was a beautiful woman. Although she was here for battle, she was dressed as elegantly as a movie star at a gala event. Her outfit was even themed for this gym, with a red, black, and white dress that resembled the patterns on a Ledian. She had platinum blond hair that was left loose, save for two braids at the front which were tied around at the back. But as he'd heard, this was normal for her. Diantha was a movie star, after a breakout role in a blockbuster movie that made her known worldwide. She stood out in this crowd like a glamorous goddess, even though everyone else dressed well for this occasion too. Calem had decided to wear his school uniform today instead of trying to find something else formal, which seemed quite modest compared to others..

“Welcome to Santalune, Miss Diantha,” Viola said warmly, treating her as friendly as she treated everyone else. “It's good to see you here.”

“Thanks Viola,” Diantha said, shaking her hand in a dainty manner. “And congratulations on being picked as a Gym Leader. I've been hearing good things about you.”

Viola smiled in a humble way. “I'm just doing what I love, like always. And you're here for your eighth proof of magic in the Kalos League. This is going to be fun! Are you ready?”

“Ready and raring to go,” she said, giving a glance at the Pokemon accompanying her, an equally elegant Gardevoir. “What do you need me to do?”

“We'll get to that when we get inside, but first,” she nodded to Calem, who stepped forward to her side. “You'll be working with this young man, Calem. He's here for his first proof, and you two are going to be taking the same test. Come in and see.” She then went inside the Gym ahead of them.

Diantha paused a moment to consider him. “Together, huh? This should be interesting. Good to meet you Calem.” She offered a handshake, which he accepted.

“Good to meet you too, Diantha,” he said, his heart beating a little faster at meeting someone so famous and beautiful. It hadn't really sunk in until that moment what he'd be doing today. But, he was here for a challenge; he'd need to keep his mind on that.

Followed by the camera crew, Calem and Diantha went inside and took the elevator down to the lowest level in the Gym. Normally, challengers would be taking on Viola on the middle level, where the giant spiderweb labyrinth hung. This was a special match and required a special setting. Down here, there was a flat floor where a giant game board had been painted. Black and gold squares alternated between the entrance area and the battle area on the opposite side.

“Oh, a chess challenge?” Diantha asked immediately, her eyes gleaming. “Those are always fun.”

Viola smiled. “Yes, you've got it. But with a twist this time.” She paused a moment, partly because the film crew was getting into position. This would be broadcast later. Once they had signaled their readiness, she continued. “As you may know, the chess challenge is a regular one for proof of magic on higher levels. The magician must cross the board one square at a time as the Trainer piece, while Pokemon are placed in other positions. Battles will only occur when two pieces compete over a square, but unlike the game, whichever piece wins claims the square. I'll have my Pokemon opposing your progress and the Pokemon you have still on the board will be allowed in your battle against me. It's a test of obedience, trust, and strategy. However, normally the high level challenger would be the one on the board. But not today. Calem will be the one to cross the board, and Diantha must control the game.”

“Oh really?” Diantha said. “A young magician would be more vulnerable to a challenge like this... but I suppose it is more like the game itself where the trainer piece is key to winning or losing while being the weakest in play.”

Viola nodded. “That's right. Calem, you just have to obey her instructions and battle me when you cross the whole board. Diantha, you'll need to choose the Pokemon on the challenger side from your own Pokemon and Calem's, place them, and then make sure that he can cross the board safely with his Pokemon still available for his challenge. Calem has to be in the trainer position, but that's the only set piece. You'll also be battling me, although you get the choice of going before or after Calem if successful.”

“Oo, now this is interesting,” Diantha said, seeming like she was having fun already. “Are you ready, Calem?”

He nodded. “Yeah, I am.”

“Good, then you two discuss what you've got, and I'll be waiting on the other side,” Viola said, then headed across the board. Once there, she used a spell that caused a shimmer to appear on the board. Probably something to enforce the rules.

Diantha turned to him. “Okay, I’ll need to know what Pokemon you have and what you're all capable of. And, you're a student of LMA?”

“I’ve only passed my first year,” he said, then answered her questions on his team and himself.

After she had her information, she paused to think. “Okay, so... normally in this kind of challenge, you'd put your strongest Pokemon in the god's position so they can quickly move across the board. Also, we've got to consider that at least some of her Pokemon will be of a level appropriate to the eighth proof and thus yours won't be capable of matching them. So I think... oh, but there's a risk of losing Pokemon for the main battle to this. What Pokemon in particular do you want working with you against Viola?”

“I was thinking that my Frogadier and Vivavillon would work best,” he said. Percival might work well too, but Mortan had some trouble with Bug Pokémon.

In regular games of chess, the pawn pieces were usually represented by first stage Pokemon, with the other pieces being fully evolved Pokemon and a god in the position next to the trainer. However, Diantha put mostly her Pokemon in the pawn positions, with the other positions filled by the Vivavlion, Swift, Nibbles, Percival, and Mortan (she did seem reluctant to do that, but they didn't have enough Pokemon to substitute). The god position was held by Diantha's dragon.

Once the game got started, it soon became clear what she was doing. Her Pokemon were stronger and thus better able to handle their opponent Pokemon even though their moves were limited. If another piece came to challenge them for their square, they had a better chance of winning the ensuing duel. On the other hand, if one of his Pokemon got in a dangerous position, Diantha could get them away sooner because they moved more freely. She didn't even order Calem or Swift (or Mortan, for that matter) to move until the big threats on the board were taken out. Diantha lost her Gardevoir after it had to deal with four duels, but they completed the game without losing any of Calem's Pokémon.

Viola clapped her hands, dismissing the enchantment on the board. “All right, you've won! So then, who'll be my first opponent?”

“I’ll take that offer,” Diantha said, crossing over the board. Their battle took some time, and was spectacular to watch in person. Observing them both, Calem wondered if he could become that good in magic battles.

After the battle, Viola congratulated Diantha on her win, saying, “This proof shows that you use magic not just for yourself, but to help others and allow them to do things that they wouldn't be capable of on their own.” Then she invited Calem into the battle arena. “Okay, for your first proof of magic, you need to show your skills in battle and magic. There are three ways to win here: defeat the three Pokemon I have, take me out of the battle, or last for five minutes. However, a win will not guarantee that you earn the proof, and a loss might not mean that you don't earn it. The only way to know for sure is to just jump into it and see how you do. Are you ready?”

If the requirement for the first proof was simply being able to cast under pressure as she suggested, that made sense. “I'm ready.”

_And that was how I got my first proof of magic, after only one year of study. Frankly, it was a freebie in my case as I had met the requirement just last summer in order to get into the academy. Still, I wouldn't have thought to even try if it wasn't for Viola and Diantha. Viola's naturally friendly, and sharper than one would expect. She told me later that she was happy the chance came up, because she knew I wouldn't go for the proof myself even though I had good potential. I'm glad she looked out for me like that._

_And Diantha definitely wasn't expecting to be helping another there. She took up the role without hesitation, though. I had thought that those who focused on Pokemon battles were thinking of their own glory. It seemed that way from a lot of the skilled battlers I had met previously, like the battle club snobs at the academy who saw people that weren't concerned about battles as lazy. When I was younger, my dad, who had tried to make a living as a battler, was rather distant and I didn't like him because of it. Then he got in an accident in a battle and nearly died. He spent months at home in recovery, during which time we got closer._

_I remember him saying towards the end of his recovery, “I thought that being a winner would make everyone admire me and solve my problems, but when I won, I only felt jealous eyes watching me. So I thought I had to win bigger, and my unease only grew. Huh, but here I’ve got your admiration for not doing much of anything, and I feel happier than I’ve been in a long time.” That was part of why I had never been enthusiastic about battles when I was younger._

_Am I getting off subject? Or is it all part of the story you wanted? Ha, sorry. Anyhow... working with Viola was just a job, a lucky one where I got to hang out with my Pokemon a lot every day. But watching her battle Diantha, that was inspiring. Here were two ladies of differing charms, very different from the image I had of serious trainers, and they were battling in a way that was more like lighthearted chatter of a new friendship. Even their Pokemon were playful about it, pushing each other's limits without worry of fainting in defeat. They must have been confident that they'd be healed up by their Trainers right after battle, so any pain was temporary. And I thought, 'I’d like to be a Trainer like that, if I ever got into battling.' It'd be some time before I really got motivated, but that was where my path started._

* * *

Lesson 5: Social Studies (Kalos Pokemon League)

Pokemon battle organizations have come and gone throughout the history of Kalos. Some were government-sponsored, such as the Order of the White Shield, a group of human knights who kept a lifelong Pokemon partner to protect the country and king. Others were social groups, such as the exclusive club connected to what is now called the Battle Chateau. Still others were focused more on the common people, such as the Pokemon Rangers that once made a living by training their Pokemon and themselves to protect people from a tyrannical king and wild Pokémon.

The Pokemon League came to Kalos as part of a worldwide movement after the devastation of the Great War caused the collapse of many existing orders and governments. It was meant as a way to turn Pokemon battles into a sport rather than a method of war and was hugely successful at that. Much of today's stability and prosperity can be attributed to organizations such as the League that were driven to create and inspire a more peaceful world.

The League has a global set of rules and regulations, but each region is allowed some individuality to keep with their cultural standing and beliefs. In Kalos, there are two separate paths to take within the Pokemon League as a challenge. The standard path is the Training Badge challenge. Trainers gather a team of Pokemon, no more than six, to battle against established master trainers who set a certain level of difficulty based on how many badges the challenger has earned. Trainers may give orders or use healing items, but may not participate beyond this, either directly or indirectly. In contrast, the secondary path is the Proof of Magic challenge, which requires that the trainer participate directly in battle alongside their Pokemon. The trainer in such a challenge must be capable of using magic and must cooperate with their Pokemon in order to challenge a master of magic. As with the Training Badge challenge, the gym leader must be capable of giving varying difficulties of battle based on how many proofs the challenger has.

Each gym within the Kalos League must be capable of providing challenges for both paths. However, it is possible, and in some cases advisable, for a gym to have two leaders if the master of one challenge cannot provide an adequate obstacle for the other. Over the years, it has also become expected, although not required, that the gym leader be a community leader, offering assistance to others when needed and doing what they can to keep their community safe and thriving.

 

Lesson 6: Extra- Chess Rules

Trainer/Human piece- One per side. This piece can only move one square at a time, in any direction. Taking the opponent's Trainer out results in a checkmate, winning the game.

God piece- One per side. This piece can move in a straight line along as many squares as the player wishes. One of the easiest ways of telling where a particular chess set comes from is based on which pair of gods are used. Common pairs include Xerneas and Yveltal (Kalos), Reshiram and Zekrom (Unova), Palkia and Dialga (Sinnoh), Groudon and Kyogre (Hoenn), and Lugia and Ho-oh (Johto, sometimes Kanto).

Pawns- Six per side. This piece can only move one square at a time, in any direction. Some games allow particular pawns, usually those in front of the Human and/or God piece which are designated as the Friend Pawn or Servant Pawn, to move two squares on their first move. Pawns are usually common or first stage Pokemon, sometimes being lower forms of the more powerful pieces.


	7. The Miracle Eye

As soon as Calem entered the classroom, Sycamore got his attention. “Hey Calem, congratulations on getting your first proof,” he said with a grin. “Do you have the pin on your badge?”

“Thanks,” he said, smiling back. “I put the pin on my bag; wasn't sure where else to put it.”

“Aw, but it's school tradition,” the professor said, getting out of his seat and coming over. As part of the school dress code, he wore the badge on his shirt (since it was summer and they wouldn't be wearing the jackets). “Ever notice that the badge has eight stars when most of the school logos don't? It's for the proof of magic pins. Here, it'd go on the bottom right one.”

“Oh, I see.” He removed the pin from the strap of his school bag and got it onto the first star of the badge. It was a small pin, but it fit on the badge nicely.

“That's better,” Sycamore said, beaming. “Usually don't see those on second year students; excellent work! I saw the match on TV.”

“Well it was only because of Diantha that it was,” Calem said. “She was amazing to see in person.”

He nodded as he headed back to behind the teacher's desk. “So I've heard. I've talked with her on many occasions, but haven't seen her battle in person myself. But now that she has eight proofs, we're waiting on the announcement of when she's going to try for the championship. We'll definitely be watching when she does.”

_And we did. There was a half day of school called when the day and time was announced so anyone who wanted could watch it live. Sycamore somehow got a large screen TV into our homeroom and all of us second year students watched in there, then had a pizza party afterwards. It was a close and exciting match. While I was watching, I wasn't sure if I should be rooting for Diantha, who'd help me win my first proof, or Richard, who had helped me out greatly with my Honedge. Diantha won and Richard accepted the loss with the dignity of a gentleman; it came to him naturally. It added to the respect and admiration I felt towards both of them. And, I became aware in my thoughts that I wanted to be a person like them. They were both stars in my eyes._

* * *

_My second year of school was relatively quiet. I don't remember much except being busy with school activities, keeping up with Lysandre's requirements, and hanging out with my friends. But there were three events that are very important to me in contrast._

_As first year students, we had seen many of the traditions of Lumiose Magic Academy going on around us, but we only had to participate in a few. Once we became second-year students, we were expected to become more involved. One tradition involved a statue which stood as a gateway challenge. Sycamore told us about it in October: the official battle club of the school wouldn't accept new members unless they could properly interpret and perform a ritual involving the statue. And since my two newest heroes were both expert Pokemon battlers, I wanted to be involved._

_Serena solved it the day that Sycamore told us about it. I never heard the full story, but I still believe that she already knew about it from her father and was just waiting for the official word. It took me until early December until I solved it. Which was still pretty early compared to average even though Serena had already beaten me to it._

It was snowing that evening, with big puffs of white drifting down quietly to coat everything around. As there was no wind, it was nice to be walking outside in warm clothes. Some of the students stuck to their school colors, but Calem wore a dark blue winter coat as he liked the color better. Surprisingly, only Swift really didn't like the cold out of his group. She was tolerating it better this winter, which was good as he liked to let them run around outside. He thought Nibbles might not like it, but the Pinsir was having fun with it, trying to nip snowflakes in the air. And Mortan stuck close to him as always. He may have evolved back into a Floette recently, but he still sat easily on Calem's shoulder.

“It's kinda weird, because the Flabebe that Trevor had really didn't like the cold this morning,” Calem said as he walked to the statue. He could see and hear other students walking or playing in the small park by their school, but they were far enough away that they could safely talk as long as they kept quiet.

“I don't notice it as much,” Mortan said. “Maybe I just have thick skin, after the cold environments that I've been in before. Though, I wouldn't like it if it got much colder; I still prefer the sun. Is that the one?”

“Yeah, this is it,” Calem said, stopping at the statue. It appeared to be a mysterious astrolabe, a skeleton of a sphere that held many concentric rings. The rings were tilted at various angles, shifting slowly so that it appeared still but was a little different every day. Each ring held gemstones of various colors and clarity. In the center of it, there was a golden orb that gave off soft clicks. It was easier to hear the snow fall than it was to hear the possibly mechanical device there. When asked about it, Sycamore admitted that no one on campus knew what its exact purpose was.

“I want to look at it,” the Floette said, flitting over to perch on the astrolabe's outer structure instead.

“Sure,” Calem said, going over to a plaque.

The small sign was old, but not as old as the device. On the metal stand, there was a badge for the battle club locked into place. Getting it out was the challenge for joining. The plaque itself read, 'Victoria Globe – a mysterious object dating back to the first era of Kalos royalty. Survived due to belief of being a divine artifact, but may be a man-made mechanical device. Current use by the Lumiose Magic Academy: Craft a rainbow to prove your skills.'

“It's broken,” Mortan said. “Good.”

“Is it?” When Calem looked over it, each piece seemed whole and maintained despite being out in the elements. “The central part?”

Mortan nodded. “I suppose you could use it for measuring the power of spells, even for different kinds of spells. But that's not its intended use.”

“Then what is its intended use?” he asked as Mortan came back to him.

He pulled the stem of his flower close and looked down, considering if he should say anything. Thankfully, he did. “It was called a miracle eye if you were using it, a terror eye if you had to face it.” He sighed. “It's a weapon of war. As you might guess, it's difficult to make, not easy to learn. But if you knew how to use a miracle eye, one person could become equal to an army of a thousand. It's better that it stays broken, just something pretty to look at. Its history is probably quite ugly.”

“Miracle Eye? Isn't that some kind of Pokemon move?” He couldn't recall immediately what it did.

Mortan knew. “Yeah, one to bypass a Psychic null status. It has the same name. But this... um, I could show you.” He floated up to meet Calem eye to eye. There was something like a static charge between them, the boy noticed. At the moment it should have zapped them, he found himself recalling a memory that he'd never experienced. It took a moment to adjust, since it was from the floaty point of view of a Floette. That made the person he was watching seem enormous in comparison.

…

“We're fine, ''''', we're fine.” His voice was gentle as he brought his hand underneath the Floette.

“Siiiii,” he replied, letting himself collapse into his friend's palm. But he still clung tight to his flower, making it tremble.

The man had a powerful appearance; rumor had it that he could crush rocks with his bare hands without using magic. But he knew no harm from this young man, only kindness. He brought his hand and the Pokemon in it closer to his face. “We're protected.” And that was true; a barely visible shield surrounded them. Thanks to the gleaming golden globe rotating on the ground, the shield would take many hits for them before breaking down. “But they also have a miracle eye, hmm...”

He had seen that. The other wizard using a miracle eye was scary. On using theirs to look over the enemy lines, they had seen him laughing and talking of making the streets of Lumiose turn red with blood. Dd they have to be here? “Chiii pira fowa,” the Floette said sadly. Where were the days when they could relax in a field of flowers?

“I told you that you could stay behind,” he said. “I wish you had. Don't worry; I'll protect you. I have to protect everyone, and tonight, when they don't know that I'm here... their miracle eye seems shoddy, and he's been drinking heavily. Then... hold still.” He knelt down by the golden device, preparing his attack.

In a moment, the miracle eye gave them a view of the foe's camp once more. His friend used aura of the miracle eye to assist in his casting; the device moved quicker to compensate. He used his other hand to aim according to the vision, then, “Lavaburst.” A shimmer of gold and red fired out of their protective shell. Normally that spell could only be used within fifty yards of the caster. The miracle eye allowed them to fire the spell out of range of their normal sight. The shot pierced the other miracle eye's shield in a weak spot and erupted on contact with the device. In destroying that weapon, it blasted the enemy camp with the force of five regular Lavabursts, not one.

They watched the ensuing destruction and chaos for half a minute before deciding on what to do next. The Floette thought it was scary. But, scarier if the same thing would happen to them.

…

“Was that your old friend, the king?” Calem asked.

Mortan nodded. “Yeah. He and I knew how to use them because he knew how to make them. I didn't like that about him for a little while. But I found out that he had reasons, and hoped that he didn't have to use one again. It wasn't the first option.” He looked back down at the miracle eye. “I think you're right about the colors not mattering as long as you have the range.”

“Best thing to do would be try,” he said, observing the device. According to the riddle, he believed that he needed spells of seven different aura types. Perhaps it was to make sure members knew a certain amount before starting.

“Oh, but there's some aura in it that doesn't match,” Mortan said, hurriedly as if he'd gotten distracted in talking about the device. “But whatever it is, it's been made to keep hidden. Be careful.”

He nodded and raised his hands in preparation. Seven spells. Water Gun, which Swift had used so much. Fairy Wind and Magical Leaf, which he got from Mortan. (Iron Head), which was from Percival. Finally, Ember and Heal, which was something they used in class, and Wide Guard, which he'd known for some time. Parts of the miracle eye lit up as he cast spells on it; water, fairy, grass, steel, fire, heal, normal, that should work. Once it had energy from the seven spells, it activated a newer part of the device which released the club badge on the post.

However, it never hit the ground. What appeared to be a spot of thick violet fog emerged from the miracle eye and snatched the badge. Large cartoonish eyes popped up, followed by a grin. The Gastly then rushed off. “Hey!” Calem called, running after the Pokemon. Why did it steal his badge? If he had to, he could fight it with Percival. Although, he'd rather not. The Honedge was wary of fighting a lot, worried that his demons would return.

The Gastly weaved around like he was moving lazily, even though Calem was sprinting after it. It even paused for a moment to look back. However, that was the moment that Calem caught up, so he tried to grab it. Being made of gas and tiny particles, he could barely get a hold of it and fell face-first into the snow on top of it. The Gastly got away by moving right through him, a feeling between handling a plant with small prickles and breathing near a car with a bad engine. Something pressed against his chest, but dropped back down. It was the club badge.

“That's a rather primitive way to catch a Pokemon,” a girl nearby said in amusement. But not just any girl; it had to be Serena who saw him like this. Feeling his face get warm in embarrassment, Calem grabbed the badge and got himself onto his knees. Also there was Lysandre, of all people; the large man had an expression of watching an idiot mess up and disapproving, something he didn't usually have for Calem.

“I wasn't trying to,” Calem said, standing up and brushing snow off his coat and pants. Maybe if he didn't look right at them, they wouldn't notice how embarrassed he was. It would help if he didn't feel suddenly ill, though.

“Gaaaa gwa hah,” the Gastly said, still grinning.

“I got this for the battle club,” he held the badge up to his chest, “but then this guy stole it before I could pick it up.”

“I suppose the proof is enough to chase after,” Lysandre said, coming closer to put a hand on Calem's shoulder. “Here, let me take care of that poisoning.” A warm sensation came from him as the Antidote took effect.

“Thanks sir,” Calem said. But then, these two seemed like they had been talking to each other. “And sorry to interrupt. I didn't know you two knew each other.”

“Not all that well,” Serena said. “But we have had some interesting discussions today.”

Lysandre gave a nod. “There were some students who wanted to make a support group for Team Flare, so I came to visit their meeting. There are some legal reasons we can't make them official, but I have no issue with them helping out. I met her there.”

“Then you're involved with Team Flare?” Calem asked Serena.

She shrugged. “I'd like to be, but I'm not old enough. I mean, if it wasn't for the membership restrictions, who wouldn't want to be? They're looking for practical and permanent solutions to many environmental and social problems, and they've done nothing but good. You'd have to be heartless not to worry about what's going on right in our homeland.”

“Well if you'll excuse me, I need to be getting back to my lab,” Lysandre said. “You kids have got a good thing going; keep at it. Good day.”

“Bye Mr. de Kalos,” Serena called as he walked off through the snow. She looked back at Calem, then the Gastly. “Huh, so you'll be in the battle club now? Well this is Yorick. He makes himself a pest at the gym and the auditorium, so I’m not surprised that he tried to steal the badge from you. I gotta run; got studying to do at the library. See you tomorrow, Calem.”

“See you then, Serena,” he said, putting the badge in his pocket. Almost immediately, Yorick came closer to him, sniffing. Calem stepped back and held up his hands. “Hey, I earned the badge. Why don't you want me to keep it?”

Yorick snickered, making his gaseous body ripple. “Actually, he's not interested in the badge anymore,” Mortan said. “But he is interested in you, I guess based on when he passed through you. He wants to know how you are connected to Yveltal.”

Glancing aside, Calem saw that Serena must be out of hearing. But he still lowered his voice. “I nearly died on the day I moved to Kalos, that's how. But nothing more than that, as far as I know.”

The Gastly lost his grin for a moment; the serious look was odd on one of his kind. Then Yorick said something that made Mortan tremble and nearly fall of Calem's shoulder. “Wh-what? I don't think that's involved... oh, you saw it somewhere? Well good. I didn't want to get back into that again.”

“What're you two talking about?” Calem asked. When the Floette sighed, he put a hand up to the shoulder Mortan was on. “I don't mean to bother you, sorry. I was just curious.”

Mortan moved to Calem's hand, the expression on his tiny face sad. “What he said was, _Glitter and shine lovely Kalos, show me your dark and bloody heart._ It's part of a poem that he thought of when he was in contact with you.”

“How would that connect to me, or Yveltal?” he wondered. “Is it because he's a god that ends up killing a lot of people and Pokemon? But still not much connection to me.”

“Kind of,” Mortan said, shifting his flower. “Ask your teacher about it. He might know something.” Yorick then grinned again, chuckling. “Oh, and, Yorick seems to want to join us. He spooks me more than Percival, but I guess he would help.”

A mischievous Pokemon... but then, he did like the Gastly line and always considered getting one. “Sure, I don't mind. But why do I make you think of something with such a dark tone?”

After hearing his response, Mortan slowly said, “Because you're like that too? Brilliant and pure on the outside, but then something dark lurks within? Uh, I don't know what he means by that; I haven't noticed anything I'd call dark about you. Might just be your brief contact with Yveltal and what I did to save you; that kind of thing tends to leave a mark on a person's soul.” Yorick snickered at that.

“I don't think it really fits me,” Calem said.

On Monday during morning homeroom, Calem planned on asking about the poem. Professor Sycamore was cheerful and energetic as always, a mug of coffee one of the local cafes on his desk (but not the same cafe as the previous week). “Finals are next week, so most of your classes will be reviewing material for the tests,” he said. “I’ll let you study most of this and next week, unless there's something else any of you wish to discuss. So, anything for today?” A few of them raised their hands, so he pointed, seemingly picking at random. “Then... Calem?”

“Actually, I had a line of poetry I wanted to ask you about,” he said.

Sycamore grinned. “Hah, excellent! We can claim that our class is being cultural then, brownie points for us all.” Some of the students laughed at the way he said it. “Poetry's not one of my stronger areas, but I'll give it a shot.”

“It's something that just stuck with me, but I couldn’t get the full poem out of the one who recited it,” Calem said, trying not to look at Mortan on his desk. “It was something like, 'Glitter and shine lovely Kalos, show me your dark and bloody heart.'”

He put a hand on his cheek and closed his eyes. “Ah, that line causes a shiver up my spine every time I hear that. Yes, I know that one, one of the few poems I know in full.”

“That sounds creepy,” Shauna said, shuddering.

Tierno nodded. “Yeah, I don't think I've ever heard anyone call Kalos dark and bloody before.”

“It makes sense when you know more about our history,” Sycamore said, serious now. He looked at them, considering something. “Kalos is a lovely place these days; I love it. But even its most ardent fans like me have to admit that there have been a great many wars in our past. That's what the poem is about. Here, I can recite the full thing; it's not very long:”

_Glitter and shine lovely Kalos,_

_Show me your dark and bloody heart._

_Golden mask to hide a face of fear,_

_Silver words to soften a tale of hate._

_Live in the moment, the past hurts,_

_Life is cruel, and death is instant_

_Yveltal's wings cover the sky._

“Hmm?” Mortan asked, fortunately sounding enough like a normal Pokemon that no one else paid attention to his confused reaction.

“Why remember a dismal poem like that?” another girl in their class asked.

Sycamore smiled a little. “I know, not very cheerful is it? But, the poem is a statement on the region's history. You might learn some of what it means in future classes, or maybe if you go exploring around the academy. In one of the lesser traveled halls, it's been on the wall for decades, even when I was a student here. But if you find it, well, be careful of going further. What's down there is not for the faint of heart.”

_Sycamore didn't give a direct answer that morning, but the real reason he would know it was because of the place on campus, something I wouldn't come across until much later. Mortan said that the version of the poem he knew was different. However, he still wasn't ready to talk about it._

* * *

_Another incident in my second year was quite a scary one, yet I believe that if it had not happened, I wouldn't have done all the things I would do in years to come. It was in early April, a day when the weather was so nice that my friends and I decided to go skating through the smaller streets of Lumiose. As a general rule, it's a safe city. But some of the back streets and alleys can be dangerous._

The city always felt alive. No matter when one looked over the streets, be it the crowds of midday or the quiet of after midnight, there was always something going on, always lights glowing invitingly somewhere. From the water channels along several streets to the stone pavement, from the leafy trees to the tall steel tower in the center, elements that seemed diverse managed to blend into a beautiful whole. And when the sky was so sunny and blue like it was now, caught between rain showers, it was hard to resist going out to enjoy it all.

“Let's go on a race around North and South Boulevard!” Shauna suggested, pumping her arms up so fast that her skates pushed her back. Her Litleo hopped out of the way and carried on grooming.

“Oooh, that's going to take too long,” Tierno complained. “And we'll all be pooped.”

“Well then we can go to a cafe for drinks,” she said. “It'd be something awesome we can tell people about later!”

“I don't know if I'd be able to make it all that way,” Trevor said.

“I'd rather just have a relaxing skate today,” Serena said. “Though I wouldn't mind competing like that on another day.”

“Hey, you three live around here, but I haven't seen where you guys live yet,” Calem said. “I mean, you pointed them out a while back, but we didn't go visit. How about we do that? We might surprise your families.”

“Oh yeah, mine wouldn't mind that,” Tierno said. “It'd be a good snack break.”

Trevor put his hand to his chin. “Mine aren't in Lumiose at the moment,” he said. “But I suppose I could bring you in and show you around if you want. Not that there's much to see.”

“I think my dad's working, but mom should be home,” Shauna said. “Okay, that's fun too. Let's go! We can take a shortcut down that way.”

The shortcut turned out to be a narrow path between tall stone buildings. While paved, the area was dingy and dirty, not cleaned as often as the main streets. They had to go single-file for the most part, although Shauna and Trevor were still small enough that they could move around in the group. After a turn, all they could see were the buildings and a smidgen of sky. The alley led to an oddly-shaped opening where four buildings sitting at different angles didn't quite meet, where a group of people could probably meet in secret.

And a group happened to be meeting there, all adults. The three men and one woman wouldn't stand out much if they were out on the crowded streets; they were dressed like normal residents. But it didn't take long for the encounter to turn abnormal. “Hey kids, get out of here,” the woman said. “We're with Team Flare; you don't need to be poking around here.”

Immediately, Serena frowned and put her hands on her hips. “You are not with Team Flare. You don't have their stylish suits.”

“Don't be ridiculous,” one of the men said. “Do you think people wear the same clothes every day?”

“But you'd be wearing it if you were on Flare business,” she said.

“Hey, we just need to pass through here,” Calem said, glancing at Shauna. She nodded and pointed out the way they needed to go. “We'll just go, if you don't mind.”

“We do mind,” the woman said, moving to block the path they needed to head through.

“What if we had them help us?” another woman said, appearing from the alleyway they had come from. She put a hand on Trevor, who had tried to back up to keep out of the confrontation. “The price he has set on admission is absurd, but we might wrangle some with them.”

Calem started to feel worried, even scared. Shauna had her hands clenched close to her chest, shivering and glancing around for some opening (but the adults were blocking or close to blocking the exits to this little spot). Having an attempt to skate off only make him slip and fall tighter in her grasp, Trevor was wide-eyed and pale; Tierno too even if he was free. However, Serena only seemed angered. “Don't be ridiculous,” she said in a scolding tone. “I know Lysandre and he wouldn't let criminals join his group. Let him go.”

“It might be a little extreme,” the first woman said, putting a hand on her chin and thinking. “We could at least confiscate their Pokemon if we don't mean to keep these kids.”

“What?” Calem asked, now feeling angry himself. He was in the Battle Club; maybe not the best (he still couldn't beat Serena), but he might be able to give them a shot at getting out. “No way! I'd rather fight you myself rather than let you take any of us, my friends or our Pokemon.”

“Really?” one of the men asked skeptically, smiling in confidence.

“Meh, but we'll beat you in a Pokemon battle before that,” Serena said. And with that, they ended up in a Pokemon battle, Calem with Serena against the first woman and one of the men. But the woman in back still had a hold on Trevor...

Calem tried to focus on the battle while he considered how they might be able to get him free. Fortunately, his Pokemon were performing extraordinarily well today. They seemed to grasp the danger of the situation and put forth all their effort, even defeating a couple Pokemon that Calem didn't think would go down easily. On the other hand, Serena's Braixen seemed aloof as always, following orders and not seeming worried. It got knocked out before the battle was over.

“What a day to leave my smaller Pokemon behind,” Serena grumbled, clenching a fist at her side. She seemed to consider the other Pokeball she had, probably her Rhyperior.

Before she could release it, something darted out of one of the other alleyways and knocked over the largest man there. It turned out to be a Lucario, who stepped on top of the man and looked at him sternly. There was a chance. “Teirno, Shauna, get out and get help!” Calem called. The two quickly skated out past the fallen man. “Serena, you...”

“No, I'm going to see these losers cut down,” she said, clutching a bracelet and using it to focus a spell on Percival, who was currently handling his two opponents readily.

“You're overestimating yourselves, little girl,” the woman said, scowling at them.

Seeing that the two of them weren't running, the Lucario gave a threatening look to the men not involved, then dashed into the battle to fight alongside Percival. Once Serena had her boosting spell on the Honedge, she decided to cast it on the Lucario too. Calem gave orders to the two Pokemon, although he had to rely on the Lucario's judgment as he didn't know what it was capable of. Then he glanced back at Trevor again. The younger boy was crying with his face scrunched up. His Espurr was standing a few feet from them, still and also seeming worried. It was at that point that Calem felt a tingle race up his spine. It seemed like a surge of aura, but he only really felt aura clearly in the rain.

He looked back at the battle and saw that the Lucario had knocked out one of the Pokemon, the last that the man had. Percival was able to finish off the other. Good. Before the woman could pull out another or order her colleagues to attack, Calem gave orders again, “You two, get Trevor away from her!”

The Lucario was quick to respond, rushing past Calem and Serena to punch the woman in the arm. She cursed and let go of Trevor with one hand. While the Lucario worked on getting the boy fully free, Percival came over and whipped his sash around the woman, pulling her away and weakening her. But the red Honedge let go of her a moment before she fainted.

“Mya!” the Espurr said, hurrying over to Trevor's side. Calem ran over there too, ignoring the other woman's orders for them to stop. If he could feel Trevor's aura without rain, it had to be a bad situation. Maybe if they could channel it into a harmless spell... but how did he get Trevor to focus on casting like this? Their magic teacher had mentioned spells with multiple users, but little about how one would connect aura to manage it.

There was a ring of metal nearby; Percival was hovering lower, looking at him like he understood something. The Honedge closed his eyes, making his blade shine. After a second, Calem felt like he had been struck by a powerful wave. But it wasn't wet at all; it was Trevor's problematic aura, building in response to his fright. He also heard something like someone was crying fretfully. 'What is this? Why us? Let me go...'

'You were let go,' Calem thought. To that, Trevor stilled and looked up at him. 'Calm down; I want to try something.'

'I will let it be done,' a deep voice-thought from Percival added. 'Reveal your senses.'

'Senses? Oh...' Right, his senses did intensify in the rain. Calem call the aura to a point in front of himself; the pull was more powerful than he was used to, but it reacted all the same. Using that point as a pen and the aura as ink, he wrote invisible runes in the air. He spelled out the runic form of Rain Dance.

Normally, he would add something like a dance move to make sure the spell went off; it was still difficult to handle. But that didn't matter with the power at hand. The runes dissolved and winds whipped up around them. After the area dimmed considerably, rain descended. It was nothing like any other time he'd cast it. This rain was intense, falling thickly and stinging as it made contact with bare skin. There was even mist building near the ground. The thing that mattered most, though, was that it worked. It put enough of a dent in Trevor's aura that he managed to calm down and take control of it himself, releasing excess with sparks that made his hands appear to glow pink.

Percival cut off their connection and Calem got up, focusing on what he felt in this powerful rain. That was nearly as overwhelming as the aura had been, as this magically induced rain was spread wide and strong. He could probably give accurate measurements and assessments of all the buildings within two blocks of this spot, not to mention what people were trying to get out of this sudden squall. However, he narrowed his attention down to the area close by, where the threat was.

The second woman was harmless for the moment; when she woke back up, she'd be unable to cast anything for the rest of the day due to the contact with Percival. The first woman and the man who'd fought with her had no more Pokemon, but they could both use magic and could be dangerous still. The other two men couldn't use magic, but their strength could still be a threat. Down the alley that the Lucario had come from, someone was racing towards them as if on skates, a powerful caster along with another Lucario. Tierno and Shauna weren't too far from that person, following cautiously but worried about them. Trevor could probably cast now, if he felt up to it. The Lucario was ready for another fight; he wasn't going to give up, and neither was Percival and what other Pokemon Calem had.

However, there were two other things that seemed significant. One, Serena's aura was stronger than he'd noticed before, with some unfamiliar runes tied into it. She'd always had those different runes, even back when he'd sensed her aura in their first battle, but they had increased dramatically. Two, there was some kind of magical device down the alleyway that they had wanted to go down. It was complex and strong, with a feeling that was like watching a good horror movie or an awful nightmare.

“And lastly, how dare you order your Pokemon to attack someone!” the first woman shouted, looking furious.

“It's excusable to get a friend free,” Calem said. “Sorry, I didn't hear all of that, but you have no idea what disaster we narrowly escaped. And I will still fight you if you really want after losing.” With the rain going strong, he felt that he had a good enough edge to attempt taking on an adult. She wasn't of rank to be a witch, he could tell. Serena would be a good help, so it'd mostly be a matter of making sure Trevor was fine.

“Hah, leave it to me!” a third woman said, skating in with her second Lucario and crashing straight into the first woman. She got knocked to the ground, but the skater acted like it was barely a bump. The newcomer had the body of a serious athlete, with a helmet and various guards that might help her in a fist fight. “Trying to kidnap kids and Pokemon, huh? I ain't letting you get away with that.”

The man by her decided to stay on the ground, feeling that it was safer than challenging this woman. The other man left standing started to back up, but with a whistle, she sent her second Lucario to incapacitate him. Seeing that the one who'd taken Trevor would be down for a while, the first Lucario went to join them, intimidating the others to stay where they were.

“Oh, Korrina?” Serena asked, then smiled. “Hah, thanks! We could've handled them, but you're quicker.”

“Now don't be too daring, Miss Serena,” Korrina said, putting a hand on her hip. “I know you're strong, but this could've been tragedy, I can see. And this rain's gonna make it hard to skate. Who cast this, anyhow? I've never seen one this powerful, not even from Siebold.”

“That was Calem here,” Serena said.

“Not exactly,” he said. “My Honedge linked me and Trevor up to make it stronger.”

“Still, that's impressive spell work,” Korrina said, nodding. “Now that you know who you're threatening, I mean, these talented young mages and the princess of the battle chateau, are you gonna give up or do we have to rough you up some more?”

“Fine, we give up,” the woman said. “But you all are going to get in a lot of trouble with Team Flare.”

“You are not with Team Flare, and I can make sure that you're absolutely not,” Serena insisted.

“Are we going to call the police?” Calem asked. “There's something dangerous down that alleyway that they were trying to protect.”

By the time the police arrived to collect the group, the rain had lightened and fused into the normal shower that was supposed to come a couple hours later. Over in the other alleyway, they found a strange machine sitting a few feet from a doorway. It rendered inactive in the rain, but Calem's senses told him that it could be repaired to work. Much of it was hard to decipher, but there was a keyboard and display screen on one side, as well as a transmitting antenna on top. Close to it, there was a broken handcart. It seemed familiar, but Calem wasn't sure of it.

“I've seen something like that before,” Korrina said, sounding worried. “It's...” she glanced at them, then gave a small smile to Calem. “Well, given your Honedge and name, I think I heard about you from Richard. I don't know if you've heard, but they found out what was driving the Honedge bonkers on Route 6. It was a device almost exactly like this, sending out aura signals that only those Pokemon could sense. It gave them nightmares and dark thoughts alongside their own; I'm sure you know it's taken a lot to soothe their nerves after that.”

He nodded, feeling a chill as he recalled it. “Right, Percival here is still nervous from time to time. I think it is one of those; it gives me a bad feeling sensing it.” Thankfully it hadn't been active; it would have messed up his thoughts again, or even called back that faceless man.

“But in the middle of Lumiose?” Korrina mused. “It doesn't have to be tuned to Honedge, could torment any Pokemon, or even humans I guess. This really could have been a tragedy; it's lucky that you kids stumbled on them trying to move it. I hear it was made by some mad machinist named Xerostic, but they never caught him for the Route 6 incident. Could be his work again. So how are you sensing it?”

He shrugged. “It's the rain. I can't quite explain it, but I sense more things when it's raining.”

“Um,” Trevor said, shifting shyly.

“You have an idea?” Calem asked, trying to encourage him.

He rubbed his head. “Sort of. When we were connected for a bit while the rain was going on, I sensed it too. Your awareness was greatly intensified when it started raining, giving you more information than a person should know through normal senses. But it seems like it's shallow, like it should be a part of something more. It's like the rain is a key and you haven't unlocked everything yet.”

“I've heard of that,” Korrina said, to their surprise. “Now, don't look at me like that. I dunno what to call it, but I've read stories about people who used rain, mist, or bodies of water to their advantage like that. There was a really enigmatic assassin back in the Great War days who would only attack when it was rainy or foggy, but he would devastate the Kalos home forces. I happened to be thinking about it the other day because I heard they were gonna make a movie of his downfall to Miss Roselia, of all the heroes of that time.”

That was interesting. “Really? I hadn't heard about that from her.” When she looked surprised, he said, “I'm a descendant of hers; I knew her for quite a while and she told me lots of stories. But not about an assassin like that. Maybe she thought it would scare me as a kid.”

“Could be. Huh, you really are interesting.”

“So how'd you come by us?” Calem asked.

“It was Neo's doing,” she said, looking at the Lucario who had first helped them out. He was now standing close to Serena, nuzzling her hand (Serena was trying not to be obvious about petting him in response). Korrina smiled. “Hah, seems like he's really warmed up to you. Kinda shocking; he usually takes a long time to be friendly with anybody, even me. Anyhow, the other fellow with me is Leo, his twin brother, but they're like day and night. We were heading to the academy you go to, actually, cause one of the teachers wants to talk with me about something. I'm gonna be late for that, but whatever. Neo was following along nicely, but then he bolted down the alleyway and we had to go chase him down. Then it started to rain, and I ran into your other two friends getting away from there... well I couldn't keep myself out of it, really.”

“Thanks for the help,” Calem said, nodding.

“No problem,” Korrina said. “Honor of a gym leader, you know. Though you three were handling yourselves well. Getting a Pokemon to link aura between two of you and him, and everything else you did.”

“It was necessary,” Trevor said, but then turned pink as he nearly admitted what happened. He glanced aside. “Um, but... I did notice something else. You don't cast like Ms Talonflame taught us to. You know, forming the rune letters, then filling them in with aura and breaking them? You just wrote the letters directly with aura and turn it into the spell.”

Calem chuckled. “Yeah, and that's gotten me in trouble because she can tell I'm not using the spelling method. But that's how I've always cast spells; seems a waste to use the extra steps.”

Trevor scratched his head. “You know, um, that makes sense to me. I think I could cast things the same way, now that I've seen you do it. And, it seems easier.”

“What, no it doesn't,” Serena said. “How do you keep the rune letters clean and not get them to transform into something else?”

“Just the same as a pencil, I guess,” Calem said.

“That is an odd way to do it, but I know people who cast that way too,” Korrina said. “Like you said, they prefer to cut out the steps other people need. But, it's usually folks who've had some experience, not novices. Heh, but then I'm glad to have met you kids; you ought to really excel with what skills you have.”

_While we were waiting on the police to say that we could leave, after they had questioned us, I realized what it was that I wanted to be doing with magic: protecting others. My friends, my Pokemon, others I hardly knew; it didn't matter, as I wanted to help them feel safe. It certainly worked for those who had been there. My friends and I grew closer as they knew they could rely on me and I wanted to make sure they were safe. And Mortan later told me that my Pokemon had heard and felt my determination to protect them, even to put myself in harm's way for them. As a result, their loyalty to me became stronger._

* * *

Lesson 7: Basics of Magic (3)

There is no one proper way to cast spells. With as diverse as world cultures and societies have been, many different methods of making use of aura have come about based on what the spellcasters knew and believed about magic. Some methods are simple, requiring nothing more than the caster. Other methods are more involved, requiring special items and steps. For most spells, the method actually used does not matter. Exceptions are, in most cases, special uses of magic that cannot be mimicked through normal methods.

At Lumiose Magic Academy, as well as many other modern magic schools, the first and primary method of casting is the spelling method. It is a simple and flexible method that works well for education as well as basic magic casting. Using it requires knowledge of a runic alphabet, of which there are several that are widely used throughout the world. It is not required to know all the pieces of a runic alphabet, as they contain dozens or even hundreds of symbols describing particular effects of magic. However, taking the time to learn such extensive alphabets makes the magic user capable of a wider range of spells, rather than a limited pool of familiar ones.

There are four steps to the spelling method.

  1. Focus. The caster must make a conscious connection to their aura, often referred to as holding it. Some casters are able to do this automatically, making this the simplest step. Others may find it hard to actually connect and is where many fail in magic entirely. Such trouble can often be lessened through the use of a focus object. Students are often taught with wands for this purpose, as the items can also help in following steps, but jewelry or paper charms can also be effective focus objects.

  2. Spell. The caster must describe the spell they wish to cast using runic letters. It's often described as writing the letters in the air in the caster's mind, although students are encouraged to spell with wands to better grasp it.

  3. Ink. After the form of the spell in runes is in the caster's mind, he or she uses the aura they've connected with to color or ink in the spell word. At this stage, there is often a resistance from the aura as the energy is not easy to change consciously. This, along with the first step, is where many have difficulty. Aura prefers to be formless and if step two was carried out improperly, it might 'bleed' and change the runes, thus changing the effects of the spell.

  4. Break. Once aura has been formed cleanly into the rune letters, the caster then breaks the word, releasing the aura to take the form that the spell word described. If using a wand, the caster can slash the instrument through the word to do so. Often the shortest step, but it can cause a spell to fizzle or misfire if mistakes were made in other steps.





	8. A Haunting to Remember

_Shauna steadily grew more determined to be memorable through that year. She didn't have the smarts and pure power of Trevor, or the odd skills of Tierno or myself, or the prestigious heritage and battle prowess of Serena. But she had enthusiasm, seemingly boundless energy, and a cheerful demeanor that won her many friends (even if many of us would admit that she could be tiring and annoying at times). She got on the cheerleading squad and the student event committee, giving her all to making others excited about memorable events. In our close circle, she kept suggesting doing ambitious and sometimes crazy things 'for the memories'. On the very last day of our second year, before all of us headed out separately for summer vacation, she had yet another idea to spring on us._

“Then what are we going to do today?” Tierno asked.

Serena didn't look impressed. “I thought you all would have planned something, with all the talk of staying behind one more night.”

“I think Shauna has an idea,” Calem said, noting the eagerness on her face.

“Hoo boy,” Serena said quietly, lowering her head.

“It's gonna be great!” Shauna said, jumping in place. “Let's go out to Route 14 and visit the haunted house!”

“A haunted house?” Tierno asked, nervous yet interested at the same time.

She nodded. “Yeah, I've been hearing a lot about it for a long time, and always wanted to see it myself. It's not like those staged ones; it's a real haunted house, out in the woods down a path few people go. Nobody's lived there for years, but people say that you still see activity going on there.”

“If it's an abandoned house, it might be wild Pokemon wandering around inside,” Serena said, not impressed.

“But at nights, sometimes they see lights inside,” Shauna said, trying to sound spooky and miming a scary Pokemon. “Or they hear a scream from the house, but when they look, there's nobody inside.”

“Again, a Pokemon could do that,” Serena said, crossing her arms over her chest. “Especially Ghost Pokemon.”

“In that case, I have two that can blend in and spook the wild Pokemon back,” Calem said. “Who knows? We might even find some uncommon Pokemon around such a place.”

“Hey, that could be fun,” Tierno said. “And we'd be together, so it won't be as scary.”

“I've heard of it too,” Trevor said. “And wanted to see the truth of it. If we pack something for supper, we should be able to make it up there and back before dark.”

Shauna grinned, “Yeah! I want to stay after dark sometime! But the dorm supervisors are expecting us to be back tonight, so we won't be able to this time.”

“Well I’m not interested,” Serena said. “Besides, the Flare Club is having one more meeting later on and I promised I'd be there for that. I won't be able to do anything that requires going out of the city.”

Although it was a pity that she wouldn't go with them, the rest agreed with Shauna's suggestion. Calem decided to pack along a first aid kit and a flashlight, just in case, while the others got things they wanted to take (like Trevor's camera). They took their skates and stopped by a shop along the way to pick up sandwiches, chips, Pokemon food, and drinks for their picnic meal, then headed out of Lumiose and into what was known by locals as the Nature Trail. Along the way, Shauna and Trevor told them about spooky events that supposedly happened around the house, while Teirno and Calem tried to guess what would be there.

Outside of the immense stone arch that made up the gate out of the city, they came across a wooden bridge across a small stream. Past that, there was a dirt path through an old playground. It had a covered tower with a slide, a merry-go-round, some bouncy Pokemon rides, a few swings, a pair of picnic tables, and a few benches. However, the equipment looked old and the little park was still. No one else was in sight. When Calem tugged the merry-go-round a bit, the paint flaked off on his hand and the ride creaked. “This is already kind of spooky,” he said.

“It looks sad to me,” Shauna said. “I wonder why nobody's fixed it up.”

“Yeah, it could be nice,” Tierno said.

“Well there aren't many homes close to this gate,” Trevor pointed out. “So there won't be many visitors.”

“Surprising that they built it here, then,” Calem said. Since it wasn't their goal, they headed down a hill into the thickly wooded area past the old park.

The leaves overhead soon blocked out most of the sun, giving the area dim and dappled appearance. There were a great many sounds around them, Pokemon and animals that were there but mostly unseen. Looking up at the trees, Calem noticed that the branches were often twisted and crooked. It wasn't so bad with the summer foliage disguising it, but it made him think that it would give a creepy atmosphere in late fall and winter. As it was now, it was rather pretty.

At first, they had no trouble skating along the dirt paths. Then they ran into marshy conditions. The ground shone reflectively in spots, betraying spots of swampy mud instead of solid ground. Even the path became soggy, leading them to take off their skates so as not to get the wheels too muddy. Signs warned of hidden pits of bog; Pokemon rangers in their red uniforms were seen patrolling the route.

“We might have to find a way to wash our shoes and skates before we get back to the dorms,” Calem said as they entered a clearing in the marsh woods. Several paths lead away from it, one with a sign stating that it led to the next town, Laverre.

“Yeah, they might not like us making muddy prints on the last day,” Shauna agreed. “It should be around here, but I'm not sure which way to go. Definitely not the north path, but which one?”

“We could split up and check the others out a little,” Teirno suggested, but then was interrupted by a little shriek from a Pokémon.

It turned out to be Mortan, having floated away from Calem's shoulder. The Floette had his flower stem held tight to his chest. “I'll catch up to you in a bit,” Calem said, then chased after Mortan through muddy grounds. “What's wrong? You haven't gotten scared like this before.”

“I-I'm not scared,” he mumbled. Once the other three kids went off to peer down side paths for the house, the Floette came closer to him. “Maybe a little. I feel...”

“What do you feel?” he asked after a moment.

“Bindings of an oath,” Mortan said, now sounding sad. “I think... where you're going is on the western path. But if you go there, I can't follow.”

“Should we avoid it?” Maybe there was something dangerous there, although he wondered why only Mortan reacted. Trevor's Meowstic didn't seem concerned.

He lowered his flower over his shoulder. “It might sound silly, but since I can't go, I want you to go. Um, be brave and observe things carefully before jumping to conclusions. Tell me about it later.”

“Will you tell me why later too?” Calem asked.

“Once you're away from the school and we can be alone,” Mortan said.

He nodded, hoping he would keep his word. “All right.” He then released Percival from his ball. “But you two stick together, just in case.”

Percival gave his version of a nod, leaning forward from his usual upright stance. “Okay, thank you,” Mortan said, a little embarrassed.

Just then, Shauna ran back in from the west path. “Hey guys! It's over here! Come on!” When Calem came over, she asked, “What's up with Mortan?”

His friends didn't know about the Floette's ability to speak. “He doesn't want to go further down this path, it seems, and I don't want to force him. I left my Honedge with him.”

“Oh, so it has to be real if a Pokemon gets nervous,” Shauna said, excited.

“I hope that's not a bad sign,” Trevor said as he, Tierno, and a couple of their Pokemon jogged over.

“Not all of them are nervous, so we should be okay,” Calem said, leading the way.

Before long, they saw the old house rumored to be truly haunted and not just a Ghost Pokemon haunt. It was struggling to stand against the woods, with vines growing up its walls and leaves strewn across its bowed ceiling. At one point, it may have been a tall and elegant cabin, hidden just off the path for someone who wanted to be away but not too far away. Now the windows were cracked, the patio was crumbling, the faded paint was in patches, and the door was almost entirely missing. Pieces of acorns, nuts, and twigs were strewn near the entrance, so there probably was some Pokemon nesting inside. Branches stretched overhead; if any of them fell, it could be the end of this place. On the rooftop, some kind of avian Pokemon perched and watched them. It was sooty black, very round, and seemed to only have one eye.

“It certainly looks appropriate,” Teirno suggested. “Like a place you'd see in a movie.”

“It looks like it could fall apart at any minute,” Trevor said. “I don't think we should eat inside.”

Shauna seemed disappointed. “Yeah. That's a pity. Well maybe we can get into Laverre for a picnic; I hear it's a really pretty place. Let's go check out the inside.”

The inside of the house was just as abandoned as the outside. A kitchen and mudroom sat on either side of the entrance; there were dishes around the sink and magnets on the fridge. On the floor, their muddy prints joined dozens more from Pokemon and other visitors. The surfaces were covered in dirt and dust, with even more evidence of inhabiting Pokemon. No humans had lived in this place for a long time.

Past the kitchen counters, the house opened up into a grand living room. It was a tall space, with the high ceiling making the room feel bigger. The furniture was battered, bitten, and threadbare, the grimy colors bare hints of how they must have looked once. On the floor, there were scraps of a former carpet and, off by the east wall, a large pile of rags and old clothes. There was an old television set with a cracked screen sitting on a dusty shelf. On the back wall, there was a fireplace with ashes strewn in a wide arch around it and a wide door that led to further rooms.

“Wow, I wonder what happened here,” Shauna said in a hushed voice.

“It still looks dangerous,” Trevor said, eying a long crack in the wall.

With little warning, the pile of rags began to grow. Long white hair became distinguishable from the rest of the mess and red eyes appeared on a rough face. Calem's friends screamed and ran off to leave. Recalling Mortan's words, Calem forced himself to stay in place until he knew what it was. Rather, who this was. It was some man, wearing ratty patched clothing that didn't fit quite right. He was sitting on the floor and looking Calem eye to eye. Once he began to stand, it became clear that this was no ordinary person. He was twice the height Calem was and he wasn't even standing straight. Something about him seemed old, perhaps just the clothing, but the lack of facial hair made him seem young at the same time.

“We're sorry to disturb you, sir,” he said, trying to be polite. “We thought this place was abandoned and nobody lived here.”

There was a moment where nothing was said. Then the giant said, in a deep hoarse voice, “Nobody does.”

Then was this some homeless man? A normal traveler wouldn't have such poor clothing. But then, he must not have been in Lumiose, since he'd be noticed and gossiped about. “Oh. Well I hope we didn't bother you much.” The man just looked at him, his expression undecipherable.

“Calem?” Shauna called back in, worried. But once she saw the giant, she got curious and came back inside, soon followed by Tierno and Trevor. “Who's this?”

“I think it's okay,” Calem said, still watching the man. “Well I'm Calem, and these are my friends, Shauna, Tierno, and the little guy's Trevor. We came because we heard this place was haunted.”

“There's no restless spirits, just restless imaginations of visitors,” the giant said. “Kids like you shouldn't be in a rundown place like this; it could fall apart at any time.”

“But then you shouldn't be here either, huh mister?” Shauna asked, concerned for him.

“Eh,” he said, shrugging. “I'd be fine. Hmm, but if you came back... fine, poke around if you want, but be careful touching things and don't question it if I tell you to leave.”

“Oh, thanks sir,” Calem said, nodding. “What do we call you?”

That caused him pause, as if he hadn't expected anyone to ask for his name. “Jack,” he said after a few moments.

Since Jack said that he could warn them of danger, they went ahead and looked around in other rooms. But beyond simply being an old house abandoned to nature, there wasn't much interesting about it. There were hints as to past residents, like names carved crookedly into wood and faded photographs. A couple of rooms, including the living room, had bookshelves with yellowed books and mostly broken knickknacks. Some of the beds still had blankets and pillows, now in disarray with Pokemon fur and feathers left on them.

On hearing a thump, Calem came back into the living room where Jack had sat back down, lost in thought. The Pokemon they had seen on the roof was now inside, apparently having squeezed down the chimney. Even more ashes were spread on the floor, especially when it shook itself and caused a miniature black cloud around it. Past the sooty black, he started to see its natural colors.

“Is this one yours?” Calem asked. “It needs a bath badly.”

“Yes, it's a friend,” Jack said, looking over at it. “I didn't tell you to clean out the chimney, especially not like that.”

“Cuuuruururu glii,” the Pokemon replied.

“How messy,” Shauna said, smiling as she came in. “Hey, is there any running water in here? I don't think the swamp water is gonna help him.”

Jack shook his head, getting back up. “No, but... there's a bathtub in one of the bathrooms. I just, have trouble doing work with my hands.”

“We can handle it if there's a way to get water,” Calem offered.

“Thank you, on his behalf,” Jack said, then went down the hall to find the bathtub. There, he held a hand out and cast a spell that caused it to half fill with water. A lemon scent wafted up from soapy foam. “It's a sort that won't damage his feathers as much.”

“Ooo, cool!” Shauna said, her excitement startling Jack. “How do you do that? We're learning magic, but I didn't think you could get a specific kind of water through spells.”

After a moment where his face briefly flushed pink, Jack replied, “If you're learning... it's too complicated. It should do for the task.”

The next few minutes were spent in a cheerful mess trying to get the Pokemon clean. The bird was mostly cooperative, getting into the tub at Jack's gesture and mostly holding still while Calem and Shauna tried to wash the ashes off. But he was so dirty that the water quickly turned black and they still couldn't see his full coloration. Jack had to transport the water outside (with another spell he wouldn't explain) and resummon fresh water, twice. By then, Teirno and Trevor had peeked in curiously from the hall, but with the two of them, Jack, and the Pokemon in there, the bathroom was packed. In the end, they revealed a Sigilyph whose feathers were dim with water, but a great deal cleaner than it had been. They brought him back into the main room, where the other two boys had found some old brooms to sweep a fair portion of the ashes and dirt outside the doorless entrance.

“That was the dirtiest floor I’ve ever swept,” Teirno said, rubbing ash off (and across) his face. Trevor sneezed in agreement.

But it was somewhat clean, enough that the Sigilyph wouldn't get ashy and dirty again while it rested on the floor to dry off. In the meantime, a Golurk appeared from somewhere (where had it been hiding? It was nearly as huge as Jack) and watched them quietly out of the way. Jack looked over the two Pokemon, then bowed his head. “Thank you, kids. Unexpected kindness is always a blessing.”

“No problem,” Shauna said. “You've got to treat your Pokemon right.”

“Yes... yes of course,” Jack said, although he seemed sad.

“It's been good meeting you,” Calem said. “But we've got to get back to Lumiose. They'll get worried if we don't show up at the school dorms by sundown.”

“You'd best get back on the road then. You've made it a good day.” He wasn't smiling, but something about his words seemed to carry great weight.

Once they found Mortan and Percival again, they headed through the marshy area and had a late supper over at the old park. They got back into Lumiose and found that the gatehouse did have an outdoors faucet where they could rinse the mud, grass, and ash off their shoes and skates. After a visit to the bathroom to wash the ashes and dust off the rest of themselves, they got back to the dorms just as the sun was disappearing below the horizon.

He didn't get a chance to speak with Mortan about what had happened until the next evening, after the bus ride home and the day he spent with his parents. In his bedroom with the door shut, he told the Floette about the visit they'd had with Jack. “I don't think he was a bad guy, but I'm not sure of anything about him,” he said at the end. “He was slow about a lot.”

“He's probably troubled by his conditions,” Mortan said, sad again. He even had his flower lying on the bedside table, with just one hand on it. “Depression can make it difficult to do anything and slow anybody down.”

“Is that it?” He put his hands on his knees, watching the Pokemon. His others were in the room too, attentive to varying degrees (except Nibbles, who was already asleep in the corner). “You seem to have a lot of insight into that person.”

The Floette closed his eyes and curled up, for a little bit seeming like he wouldn't say anything. Percival spoke up, causing him to lift his head and sigh. “Yes, I did say I’d explain... that person, his name isn't Jack. He probably gave it to you not wanting to reveal who he is, if you would believe it. His name is AZ.”

Almost recognizing it, Calem tried to recall where he'd heard it. “Odd name... seems like I should know who it is, though.”

Mortan picked up his flower and hugged the stem. “You're not a native of Kalos and your history classes haven't touched that time period yet. Aleksander Zachariah de Kalos, usually shortened to AZ, was once a great king. He was my friend before I became a servant of the gods.”

That startled him when it clicked in his mind. “Kalos... wait, isn't that the name of one of the ancient kings of Kalos, like, thousands of years ago?”

“Around three thousand years ago, maybe a bit more,” Mortan said. “That's who you met in that house.”

“Three thousand... but how is he still alive? How are you still alive, for that matter?” He knew that his Floette was mysterious and unusual, but he hadn't counted on him being that old too.

“A curse for using forbidden magic,” Mortan said. “And why... why I swore an oath not to see him again until his heart fully changed, working for the gods in the meantime. I mean, I'm happy that you don't think that he's a bad guy. He isn't; I still believe in him. But he made a very grave and bad decision. People assume AZ died, although legends tell that he has no grave because they never found his body. However, they couldn't find him because he faded from public view and deteriorated from what the image they held of him was.”

“I certainly wouldn't have guessed that he'd be a king,” Calem said, still having some trouble connecting a disheveled probably depressed homeless man to an ancient and powerful king. Although, he did have that unusual spell for calling on a tubful of water suitable for washing a feathered Pokemon. Mortan still seemed sad, so Calem decided to see if it would cheer him up by asking, “How did you get to be a friend to a king?”

“I met him when he was still a prince, but even that was lucky,” Mortan said. “Those days I remember fondly.”

“Do you mind talking about them?”

That did make Mortan smile. “Uh, well... no, if you want me to.”


	9. Mortan's Story (One of Three)

_Mortan didn't tell me all of his memories at once. But every evening that summer, he told me a little more about his early days knowing AZ as a prince. He seemed quite fond of it, but mentioning his friend as a king often made him sad. So I let him talk about his friend as a prince most often._

There was a sweet smell on the wind; the young Flabebe had never smelled anything quite like it. It wasn't quite like nectar, but still sweet and a bit like nuts. Floating against the wind was hard, but he did it to find the source of the scent. It came from near a human man, which made him have second thoughts about checking it out. But the deliciousness lured him closer.

Turning his white lily to pause, he could see that the smell came from what looked to be peanuts with an odd shiny crinkle instead of a smooth surface. The man had a little bag of them as a snack. The Flabebe had had a peanut the other day, but it hadn't been sweet like these smelled. What was the difference? He drifted into the man's sight. “Um, are you a nice person?” he asked.

The man noticed him and widened his brown eyes in surprise. “Wow, you're so tiny,” he said, amazed by it. He brought his hand up, so the Flabebe floated near it. He wasn't quite ready to land on the human. “I've never seen a Pokemon so small. Oh, but you're not bad for it. You're interesting. Huh, do others make fun of you for being tiny like they do for me being big?”

“Nuh-uh,” the Flabebe said, shaking his head. “I'm supposed to be tiny. You don't look big, not for a human. You're supposed to be big.”

“You're lucky,” the man said. Then, he put his bag in his lap to take a peanut and offer it to him. “Here, want to share a snack? Although for you, it looks like it would be a meal.”

“Yay, you are nice!” he said, delighted as he took the peanut. Taking a bite of it, he found that it had honey dried on the outside. It tasted wonderful, a lot better than a regular peanut.

He wouldn't figure out until weeks later that this man was actually a child.

* * *

Specifically, AZ was nine years old but already the size of a grown man. He was being tutored in a country estate over the summer along with his normal-sized seven year old brother and a group of other children who seemed to be important. When they were released for a few hours of play, AZ would often come out to eat a snack, like the honey-roasted peanuts, or dried fruit, or crackers, or even some cookies if the kids were lucky.

He tried to play with the other children, but it never worked out well. Even his brother Leon got in on it, shouting, “Aah, the ogre is gonna eat us!” and run away shrieking (in delight) with the other kids. AZ would get upset by that, sometimes crying. As it kept happening, he grew more reluctant to play with the others, preferring instead to go eat his snack among the flowers. The Flabebe got to know when the kids would come out, so he nearly always met with AZ to share a snack.

And when AZ was crying, the Flabebe would twirl around in the air and sing, trying to cheer him up. “They're meanies, you're nice,” he sang, coming over and patting AZ on the cheek. That usually made him smile. He would sit down, share his snack, talk about the lessons they had that day.

“I like studying, unlike most of them,” AZ said today. “That's why I usually go in before them. Besides, I’ve got important studies to follow, more than they learn. I need to be a great man, like my father.”

“I think you're great!” he said, smiling and hoping that would let the human know how he felt.

Sometimes AZ got back inside to do more studying, but other times, like today, the teacher watching would stop him. “You've got to be playing to keep healthy, AZ,” he said. “At least go run around for a bit, get some physical activity in.” So AZ would go run around the field, away from the other kids. The Flabebe found it fun trying to keep up with him, using the wind to keep adrift.

It was tiring too. AZ caught the Flabebe in his palm after they'd been running fifteen minutes or so. “It's got to be harder for a tiny creature like you to follow,” he said. “But that means you're my friend, doesn't it? You don't care how hard it is.”

“I care about you because you share yummy food!” he said cheerfully, although he also found himself liking the running and talking too. Maybe they were friends like that.

The rumble of thunder came from the sky, making the Flabebe tense. “I think there's going to be a storm tonight,” AZ said, looking up at the clouds. “I hope you have a good shelter against that...” Then he shook his head and looked down at him. “But I’d be worried. Hey, why don't you come inside with me? Then you can keep nice and dry.”

“Oo, that sounds good,” he said, nodding. So AZ carried him back to the house they were all staying in.

It was a huge space to the Flabebe, even with the walls closing it in. And there were so many interesting things to see: pictures on the wall, soft and hard looking floors, flowers in pretty containers, interesting carvings in a strangely white wood handrail on the stairs. There were even windows that had material that was really hard to see, because they could see right through it. With all this and those different snacks, humans were really creative creatures.

AZ brought him into the library, a room that was filled with many items called books. The books were filled with thin white leaves that had many black lines printed on them. While it didn't make any sense to the Flabebe, AZ started reading aloud while looking at the book. Did it have all that information just on the one page? How did one decipher it? He was curious and tried to watch along to figure the lines out.

“What's that Pokemon doing in here?” a woman asked, pausing by AZ's table.

“Um, it's a friend of mine,” AZ said. “We usually meet outside, but I heard thunder and I wanted to keep him out of the storm tonight.”

“Wild Pokemon can usually handle themselves.”

“I wanna stay with AZ!” the Flabebe whined, dropping down the stamen he held and thinking of hiding in a bud.

She smiled. “Aw. You are really kind to Pokemon, AZ. If it's your friend, I suppose...” She patted her pocket, looking for something. “Hmm, I don't think I have it now. But I can get something that will bond you both together. It'll always be able to follow you then.”

“That'd be great,” AZ said, feeling glad. “Thank you, mother. I’m just not sure what it is; I've seen a few others like it, but I know this one because he always has a white lily.”

“That's the best way to tell the difference,” she said, nodding. “This is a Flabebe, a tiny flower fairy. They keep their flower for their whole lives; it never fades or wilts. We see lots of them in this area around spring and summer, but they're so little that you might never see them.”

From that night on, the Flabebe stayed with AZ as his closest Pokemon friend.

* * *

During fall, AZ, his brother Leon, and their mother had to return to the walled city of Lumiose where they lived most of the year. A great many Pokemon were there on the trip: a team of Tauros to pull the carriage, Aigislash and Furfrous to guard them, an Alakazam to keep watch. He was just a Flabebe, but he came too, not wanting to part from his dear friend. Leon tried to tease AZ for having a girly flower Pokemon, but AZ was getting better about resisting that. After all, they were friends and AZ wanted to keep it that way.

Even when it meant arguing with his father about keeping him. “But you wanted me to start befriending some Pokemon to keep close to me,” AZ said. “This one has been following me all summer and I want to start with him.”

“I was thinking something more befitting of our family,” the king said. “There's a few eggs I have that you could start with; they'd be good and strong.”

“The Flabebe is good too,” he insisted. “I don't know how strong he'll be, but I’ll make sure he's the best he can be.”

“Well,” he hesitated, looking at the Flabebe. “It just doesn't seem to fit you. Maybe for a princess, but you're the heir to the crown and you need impressive Pokemon to back that up.”

“Dear, it's fine,” the queen said gently, putting a hand on her husband's arm. “It is the first Pokemon friend that he has made and he's really well-behaved. I think we shouldn't stand between them; he might even surprise us.”

“You believe it will work?” the king asked her.

“May I keep him?” AZ asked.

The king considered it, then nodded. “Certainly. As you said, we're not sure how he'll end up and you'll probably have a few others to make a strong Pokemon retinue. Make the best of what you have.”

“I would've stayed here with you no matter what,” the Flabebe said, twirling around inside his lily.

* * *

When other children his age began to grow to adult size, AZ continued growing beyond that. It made him stand out in the castle. No one, not even his family, was as big as he was. After he knocked over a grandfather clock that hardly anyone else could move, his mother said, “We need to get someone to train you in the fighting arts.”

“But I’ve already studied magic,” AZ said, using a spell to pick the clock back up and patch it until a proper repair job could be done. “And I’m supposed to be continuing my governing studies.” All those studies kept AZ busy every day; the tutors said that he learned fast, while the Flabebe was still trying to figure out how to decipher human writing.

“You don't need to be a boxing champion or something like that,” the queen said. “You just need to learn to restrain the strength you have and be more aware of yourself.” And with that, he got boxing lessons added to his busy schedule. He never had a day off, only a couple of hours where he could relax and spend with his Flabebe friend.

But AZ didn't seem to mind that. Keeping busy learning things got him praise and satisfaction, while trying to socialize got him wary looks, insulting remarks, and fearful caution.

* * *

“I am a proud defender,” the Furfrou said. “Very proud, fight well. But the prince is so strong, in his arms, in his legs, in his aura, in his mind. He could beat me. How do I defend someone like that?”

“But isn't it your job to defend the royal family?” the Flabebe asked. “And fight for them?”

“Prince is strong, how could he need me?” the Furfrou repeated.

“Argh, he can't always fight alone, you know,” he said, angered. “Well fine, if you're going to be a coward about it.”

“Not a coward!” the Furfrou barked.

“But you're afraid of being around AZ.”

“Leon needs more protection. I fight for him.”

“Well this was a waste,” the Flabebe muttered, floating away. He'd been trying to encourage other Pokemon to work with AZ so that he had a really impressive retinue (he wasn't quite sure what that was, but it seemed to be a group of Pokemon that stuck with the king and protected him). But so many of them were either afraid of the huge child or were like this, not feeling like they'd be needed.

Somehow, they had to get this to work.

* * *

The city of Lumiose was a really impressive example of what humans could do. They had built many buildings close together for protection, some of them enormous. They even made stone walls stand tall and hold lots of space. Inside those structures, humans and Pokemon lived together with many of the wondrous things that humans made.

But it wasn't all nice. There weren't as many flowers, for one. What flowers were there were usually confined to vases, pots, bins, or enclosed gardens. For another thing, the city could be quite dirty. The castle maids would often be seen sweeping and mopping the floors, but the dirt would return once someone walked in from outside. Even the air was dirty with smoke, dust, and other itty bitty particles.

AZ called his name. “Drink something, please. I put some drops on the petals to help.”

He was curled up in the center of his flower, but tried to make himself stir for AZ. It looked like his whole body hurt, so he couldn't keep himself on the stamen or keep his flower afloat. He made a pitiful murmur, dragging himself over to drink some of the water. Because AZ was worried about him, he studied in his room to keep an eye on the Flabebe.

That evening, his father came to visit. “Is he doing any better?”

“No, he just keeps sleeping,” AZ said. “I give him some water when it looks like he's stirring, but he doesn't always drink it.”

The king pulled another chair closer, to talk with him. “The Pokemon healer will be along later to check up on him again. But it could just be that he's not well adapted to the city air; he always gets a little sick in the winter.”

“If I could stay in the countryside all year, I'd do it so he stays healthy.” After all, the air was cleaner around the estate where he had found the Flabebe.

“You know, I had plans to build a second castle outside the city,” the king said, musing on something. “I thought it'd be nice to have a summer castle and a winter castle. There's still plans for it floating around in the library somewhere; I was making it really beautiful to surprise your mother, but then things fell through.”

“Could it be built, where he could live in cleaner air?” AZ asked, hopeful.

“Well there's some trouble with where to put it now.” He put his hand on his chin. “We have to consider the lords on our lands and the kings of other lands; building a new castle could be seen as a threat to other kingdoms or encroaching on the rights of the lords.”

“But you're the king of this land, accepted by the gods. Don't they have to follow you?”

“In an ideal world, they would,” the king admitted. “But in reality, there are many things that can lead anyone to turn against a king, even divinely appointed. Greed, love, ambition, different views of justice... you've seen the reports of the eastern lands, haven't you? People revolted against their kings because they felt oppressed in taxes and laws. The same could happen here in Lumiose if we're not mindful.” He then began a lecture on the different alliances and rivalries among the nobility and royalty of the lands around theirs.

AZ listened attentively, if occasionally glancing at the weak Flabebe to make sure he didn't need more water droplets. At the end of it, he said, “An awful lot of that seems like petty reasons to fights. Just because two families have fought for generations doesn't mean that they have to keep fighting forever.”

“Hatred can be tough to let go of,” the king said. “We've built up a good secure base here in Lumiose and things are mostly peaceful among our people. I'd like to see you carry on that unity in the future.”

But later that evening, when the king had left, the Pokemon overheard his friend to say, “Those people fighting are making those they protect suffer for their own rivalries and desires. I wonder if I could make them stop when I'm king. Although, I’d just be happy if we could be in a place where you didn't have to suffer.”

* * *

One day when AZ was thirteen, he was mistaken for his father and nearly lost his right to rule.

He and his Flabebe were in the practice hall that the knights used for training battles. By this point, the prince had found a few other Pokemon who didn't mind being with him: a Doublade and a Gible. They were all in combat training, even the Flabebe who wasn't as powerful as the others. They'd make a good team with AZ, who was turning out to be quite good at fighting as well. Although, he still preferred studying books and learning what he would need to know as a king.

“This is a Strike Eye,” one of the knights told him as the boy was taking a break. He had gotten interested in a palm-sized mechanical device; it was covered in gold, but part of it was a stone eye. “It extends the range and amount of targets at which one can cast a spell. Not that accurate unless you practice with it relentlessly, but it helps to have a distance caster in large battles.”

“If it's an eye, shouldn't it help with accuracy instead of range?” AZ asked.

“Well that's what the machinists were trying to do,” the knight said, putting the Strike Eye back on its shelf. “Sometimes accidental advances are just as important as intentional ones.”

A voice cut through the practice hall, disrupting nearly everyone. “Quit yanking my chain around!” a foppish young man said.

“If you want a challenge, this is the place,” the servant with him said, not letting himself be intimidated by the visitor.

“Did I not make myself clear?” the visitor asked in annoyance. “I don't mean against ordinary people.”

“I think that's the king of some of the lands west of here,” AZ said quietly. “Father received a painting of him with a message that he was going to make the greatest kingdom of all.” And his ambitions had stopped the construction of the castle outside of Lumiose by luring the lord of that land to his allegiance, much to AZ's displeasure.

“Sounds ridiculous,” the knight near him said.

“What I mean is that I want a courtly battle against one of royal blood,” the visitor demanded.

“There is one such person here,” the servant said, pointing towards AZ.

A courtly battle against the one that wouldn't let him live out in the countryside with his Flabebe? AZ didn't mind that; he wouldn't want to start an actual fight with this person, after all. But there might be something to help out... “Could I borrow the Strike Eye?” AZ asked.

“Sure thing,” the knight said, taking it back off the shelf and handing it to him. “Standard activation, you know.”

“Right.”

Just then, the visiting king called out to him. “Hello, it took a while to track you down, fellow,” he said, smiling broadly. “I sent an offer for a battle only we could have. Are you ready to give your answer on my challenge? Fielding three Pokemon and ourselves at once, until the human or all the Pokemon are defeated, to show our true talents and leadership.”

“All right, I'll take that challenge,” AZ said, thinking that it would be good to have a Pokemon battle with someone other than his usual practice opponents. Plus this seemed to be a social battle, nothing serious.

The seriousness of the challenge didn't come out until after AZ won. It was easier than it first seemed. While the visiting king had Pokemon that were all evolved more than his, they were all dragons and the Flabebe had always been particularly good in the rare battle with dragons. He even got the energy to evolve into a Floette at the end of it; he sang happily and twirled in his new form, making AZ smile warmly. Having the Strike Eye to cast protection spells over all of his Pokemon rather than just one had helped as well.

However, something mysterious happened at that moment: a glowing orb, like a dark rainbow, appeared near the visitor and shattered. It immediately reformed itself, but stole six rings from him. “In accordance to our agreement, when you fight a battle against royalty, the winner takes the loser's divine right to rule. You have lost, thus your right to rule has been revoked. Because your right to rule has been revoked, this agreement also comes to an end. I hope you are satisfied.” There was a soft chuckle at the end, then the rings were tossed with the orb to AZ.

“What?!” the visitor said, angered. “You, you cheated! You must have! No one could take my dragons down so easily!” He ran at AZ, pulling out a dagger to attack.

The Floette tried to blind the man so he couldn't attack, but he passed right by the little fairy. AZ didn't feel worried, though. He'd been training himself for such things. At the right moment, he stepped out of the way and punched the man in the shoulder, knocking him to the ground. “Prince AZ!” one of the knights called, him and others running to support him.

“It's fine,” he said, going over to the visitor. Pinning him down with one hand on his shoulder, he took the dagger from him and tossed it aside. He still hadn't taken the rings, which were floating to follow him.

“P-prince?” the visitor asked, looking up at him. “I thought the princes here were boys.”

“We are,” AZ said, used to that. The knights began to secure the man for arrest.

Later on, his father got upset over what happened. “You shouldn't have let AZ fight that greedy idiot!” he scolded the servant. “I wasn't going to fight him until I knew more of his boon.”

“I'm sorry, your majesty,” the servant said, bowing apologetically again. “I did what I could, and I didn't think it would hurt. And he won, so...”

“It's good fortune that he did, but it could have been big trouble if he'd lost,” the king said. Eventually, he fired the servant.

Meanwhile, AZ and his Floette had been sitting in the room, listening to them and examining the rings. Each ring had a small signet, different signs that corresponded to different lands close to the Kalos kingdom. There was even one for Genosage, a place that AZ had read about; it seemed far away, farther than he'd ever traveled. While the signets would shimmer when AZ touched them, the rings would not stay on his finger. They didn't react at all to the Floette.

When the servant was gone, the king paced around the room, rubbing his forehead and muttering. “I'm sorry, father,” AZ said. “I didn't know there was anything at stake during that battle.”

“Be more careful before you accept another challenge,” his father said, coming over to him. “Especially if anything about titles, nobility, or royalty comes up. I'm glad you won but... this could be trouble.”

“What can I do to make it right?” AZ asked, feeling uneasy. He had done something wrong and it should be fixed. After all, he would need to be making no mistakes when he became a king.

His father put his hands over his mouth, not looking at him. He sighed, then sat in a chair. “AZ... do you know what you won in that battle?”

“The rings, although I don't seem to be fit for them somehow,” he said, taking one and looking at it. “They don't look too small, but they keep jumping off.”

He took one and, unlike the Floette, managed to keep a hold of it. However, the signet on it didn't shimmer. In contrast, Melchior de Kalos had two rings that looked much like the ones here, which shimmered on his fingers. “These signet rings are royal proofs. Owning and wearing one shows that you have the allowance of the gods to rule your land. You have just won kingship of six kingdoms today.” He put the ring down. “But you have not taken the appropriate trials for a king in these lands, thus while you own the rings and the land, you can't wear them and rule.”

Proof of royalty... and that visitor had owned six. “Then, somehow he was able to win five of these in Pokemon battles, and was trying to steal our kingdom with the same tactic?”

The king nodded. “Yes. A dirty tactic; given what you and others witnessed, I would say that when he took the trials, he was given a boon and asked for the power to do so. Still, that boon was his undoing. He was winning kingdoms with alarming speed, which had me worried when he wrote me the original challenge, but all it took was one loss to lose it all. If he had won against you, then he would not have won our kingdom, but he would have taken your inheritance. Possibly, it's hard to tell.”

“I see; that was a mistake.”

“That is why you should be careful,” his father said. “But don't feel bad on it. We should be grateful and thank the gods that you succeeded.”

“And my Pokemon here,” AZ said, tapping the Floette's lily and making him giggle. He was the only one allowed to touch the flower. “I couldn't have done it without him.”

He smiled and nodded. “Of course. Well, I wanted to hold off on sending you, but now that you have those rings and the ruler of those people is in our dungeon, you should head to the dwelling of the gods and take the trials of royalty. Then you would officially become king of those lands. Still, I hope you do not mind working with me to learn; there is still much you need to know.”

“I'd feel better with your help,” AZ said, smiling.

“Good, then we'll need to prepare your trip to the southeastern forest, where you'll find the dwelling of Xerneas. After that, further east lies the dwelling of Yveltal. These two will give you trials of their own choosing to see if you're worthy. They may offer you a boon, but if they do, be careful what you ask for. The man you defeated today chose to gain power quickly, and he lost it all in an instant.”

* * *

The trials that his friend was going through were things that the Floette didn't understand. Good thing AZ was so smart, then. He had to think through things, so the small Pokemon kept watch for trouble. Mostly, he had to keep the other two Pokemon from bugging AZ, but sometimes he had to call their attention to trouble from wild Pokemon. This forest was thick and confusing.

At the moment, they had stopped between trials after coming across an injured Chespin. AZ stopped and talked gently to it, until it allowed them close enough for the prince to use a healing spell on it. The Chespin ran off afterward, but it had looked better. “I wouldn't want too many people to learn fighting magic,” AZ pondered aloud. “But if I could teach more people how to heal with magic, I would. It would help everyone.”

A Pokemon's voice came from close behind the Floette. “It could help, but it could hurt,” it said. “Healing without knowing what is wrong can cause more torment.”

“Wh-what?” the Floette asked, spinning in place. “Healing helps.”

“But it can be turned to hurt,” the Pokemon said, sounding amused. It appeared as little more than an orb of rainbow light, but that spot held a potent aura. This being was powerful. “I sense a warm and kind heart from this child... is that true?”

The Floette nodded. “Yes, absolutely! AZ is great; he's my best friend. He takes good care of me when I'm sick and believes in me when others think I look weak.”

The orb moved closer. Too close; the Floette drifted back to a more comfortable space. That made the orb bob up and down. “That's good; I like it when humans are nice to those kin to me. Hmm hmm hmm... so what do you do for him?”

“I help him, and fight for him. But mostly, I make sure he's happy, cheer him up when he feels sad or worn out.” He twirled his flower a little. “He's always busy and has so much to learn, but no matter how good he is, some people are still mean to him. I want him to be happy no matter how many people try being mean.”

The Pokemon there chuckled. “Really really? You have a monumental task, then. He's in a position where everyone will look up to him but not all of them will love him for it. Many could hate him for it, if he makes enough mistakes. Or even if he doesn't make a mistake. It could be a fruitless thankless task.”

“No it won't be,” he said, feeling angered. “He calls me his best friend too.”

“What are you angry about?” AZ asked, turning in concern at the sound of his voice.

The Pokemon making the orb laughed, then whirled around them at a dizzying speed. Then it settled a few feet from them and expanded instantly into a Pokemon that was taller than AZ. Mostly in his iridescent antlers; Xerneas appeared quite powerful and quick, even without considering the divine aura he was surrounded with. “You're all being tested, even when you don't realize it,” he said in the human language, shaking his head in a playful manner. “Ah, child who looks like a man, I've been waiting for you. You've been doing well,” AZ looked hopeful at that. “Or maybe not. It's not over, not quite. But close. Haha, you are here early, aren't you? I like you, though. You have a good soul and are kind to Pokemon. Is that enough to be a king? Hmm, we'll have to see.” Then he moved in a flash of light, appearing beside AZ. “Do you have any wishes, prince?”

“No,” AZ said. They had settled on this as a safe answer, to prevent something like what had happened to the king he had defeated.

Xerneas seemed surprised at that and nosed AZ's shoulder. “No wishes? Are you sure?”

“I'm sure.”

“Really truly sure? That there's nothing you would want but can't quite accomplish on your own, or are not sure how to do?”

That made AZ hesitate. “Well... I want my Floette to be healthier, but I’m sure he'll be fine when we can finish the second castle and move out of the city air. And I would like to see people stop fighting each other. Pokemon battles for sport are okay, since it's fun for all parties. But all these little wars between little kingdoms seems so pointless.”

“Well that's selfless of you,” Xerneas said. “You might be able to accomplish both those wishes on your own. Might. The first is simple enough when you move, the second... could be tough to do cleanly.”

“I could stop people from fighting?” AZ asked, intrigued.

“Certainly.” He prodded AZ's hand. “You have the signets from lands that have been squabbling, but once they answer to you as king, they won't have as much of a reason to be fighting, right?” He darted away, although his movements were impossible to see again. “There are many kingdoms in the land that I run through, but what if it were all one big kingdom? From the eastern mountains to the western mountains, from the southern sea to the northern sea... if it was one kingdom, then who would fight? And even if they did fight, they would have to answer to the one in authority. Think about it.” Xerneas then darted off into the trees, leaving them to finish AZ's trials.

* * *

The forest that Xerneas lived in was confusing, but the Floette felt like he'd rather be there than on this mountaintop where Yveltal resided. At least the forest was green and full of life. This mountain was sharp and dangerous, wrapped up in a chilly wind. They followed a trail that the locals had been reluctant to let AZ and his Pokemon go up. Apparently, few members of royalty had actually gone up the mountain in recent years, the last one in their memory being AZ's father Melchior. But AZ insisted that he had to honor both gods, so was allowed to ascend.

The trail itself was of decent size for humans, but sometimes it ran alongside steep drops and cliffs. They heard some rocks tumbling while they walked, grateful they weren't falling near them. For the Floette, the wind was the worst of it. It kept trying to grab his flower and fling him far from AZ. Eventually, AZ had the little Pokemon stay in the pocket of his jacket so that he wouldn't be blown away.

At the top of the mountain, they came upon Yveltal's nest, where the god watched over the lands in all directions. He was not impressed. “Past your appearance, you are not yet a man,” he said, a shadowy aura surrounding his body so that it was difficult to see his form. But there seemed to be black and red feathers when he moved his wings. “Almost, but still too young to be taking on such responsibility.”

“My father will be helping me,” AZ said.

Yveltal grumbled for a moment. “For how long? I could tell you, but I won't. I will say that you have passed my trials, save for the last only I can give. Not that it matters; your race has deemed my approval not as necessary. They don't understand as they want to forget death. You have Xerneas' approval?”

“Yes,” AZ said.

“Did he give you a boon of any sort? You have to be careful with him.”

“Actually, he said that he would teach me further in magic than any human has yet gone, so that I can be a great king.” It was a generous offer, they had all thought. After all, how many got to learn directly from a god?

“What?!” Yveltal asked, standing taller as if alarmed. When he next spoke, his voice was a growl, “He's going to teach you?”

“Yes, your holiness,” AZ said, going formal to sound calm. But the Floette was close enough to notice his fear. What was this about?

“What is he up to?” Yveltal muttered. “Making sure I was awake at the same time, being too generous, now teaching this child king? I don't like this one bit.”

AZ glanced at his Pokemon, lastly looking at the Floette in his pocket. But the Pokemon were confused too. “That doesn't sound like trouble,” AZ said.

“A lot of trouble doesn't come as you mortals expect it,” Yveltal said, calming down. “And Xerneas... he considers everything to be a game where any entertaining result is worthwhile, no matter what the participants think. Maybe what he will teach you will help you out, but it may also cause you grief in the end. Hmph. Well if he is offering that, then I offer this.” Four black feathers then appeared in front of AZ, with a thin stripe of red along the shaft. “Should you call my name while holding one of these feathers, I will come to your side. For a question, for assistance, what help you deem necessary. Each feather is only good for one summoning, so be sure that you really need me before you call.”

“I'm not sure how I'd use them, but thank you,” AZ said, accepting the feathers. The Floette wasn't sure what they would be useful for either. Why call on death itself?


	10. On Being a Doll

_That second summer, I was caught by the same problem of not having much to do while my parents were away. Serena's family did own the house next door, but they were rarely in. I thought of working at Viola's gym again, but she had no openings posted. At first, I helped out with my parent's garden and read some of the books they had again. It was while I was doing the gardening work that I got a suggestion from a chance encounter._

Calem had his Pokemon out with him while he did garden work. Percival was hiding out in the shadow of the rock walls surrounding the yard, while Yorick had fun lurking in the ground and snatching up pests off the plants. Surprisingly, Nibbles turned out pretty good at helping with the weeds. Once Calem showed the Pinsir which plants were supposed to be there, she happily set about to pulling out the ones that weren't. Mortan snacked on a few aphids from a climbing rose, then went hunting around town for insects that would also eat them.

“Hello, mind if I come in?” a woman asked, standing outside the gateless opening in the stone wall. It took a moment, but then Calem recognized who it was. She was dressed in a simple yellow sundress with a ruffled green jacket, a lot simpler attire than he was used to seeing her in.

“Hello Diantha,” he said, getting up and brushing some dirt off his hands. “It should be okay, although my parents are away at work right now.”

“Hmm, maybe I'll come back later,” she said, coming up the path. Her eyebrows raised as she got close. “Oh? I have a feeling I should know you... wait, I'll get it...” She glanced around at the Pokemon with him, in particular the Honedge and Pinsir. Then she clapped her hands and smiled. “Ah, you're the one I worked with in the Santalune gym challenge. Calem, right?”

He smiled. “That's right. I'd shake your hand, but I've been doing garden work.”

She laughed. “How gracious. That's fine.” She looked back at the house. “I was curious about this place, actually. Funny thing meeting you here. Then you live here?”

“That's right,” he said, nodding. “I know a bit about the house, actually. What about it?”

“Well, someone famous once lived here,” Diantha said, putting a hand to her cheek. “Have you heard about Miss Roselia? She was an unusual but great heroine of the Great War many years ago.”

Hearing that made him feel happy. “Yeah, I know her. I mean, knew her. She's my great-grandmother, and I inherited this house from her.”

Brightening, she turned to him. “Oh my goodness, really?” When he nodded, she squealed in delight. “That's simply amazing! I mean, it was sad to hear that she had passed away outside of Kalos when she's still loved here. But I hadn't expected to find her family back here in these lands.”

“I still miss her some,” Calem said. “We were actually close, as I visited Gran daily for much of my life. But I know she wouldn't want me to be sad thinking about her.”

“Certainly,” Diantha said, touching his shoulder. “But then I would be delighted to talk with you about her! You see, I've recently been cast to play her in an upcoming movie. I've been doing all I can to get into the role, from reading her book, and here I came looking for the house she lived in. Hmm, but if you knew her like that, would you happen to be the one she dedicated the book to?”

He nodded. “I think so, but she made me swear that I wouldn't read it until I turned seventeen. That was how she was about a lot of her stories; she tell them to me but then say that she couldn't continue until I was older. It usually made her laugh and I'd have to pester her into telling something else.”

That made her laugh. “You were a lucky kid. I would have been delighted to talk with her, so I hope that I can portray her well.”

Since they could be talking for a while, Calem went ahead and invited Diantha inside, washing up the dirt off his hands before offering to get a snack with her. It was good to hear about the movie; he wondered if he'd be able to see it or if it was one of those things he'd need to wait a few years for. Either way, he wanted to see it eventually, when it got made.

Somehow, they ended up talking about what Calem was doing this summer. “I liked working at the gym last summer and I thought about working at another. But since Viola wasn't looking for gym trainers, I'd have to make a longer commute anywhere.”

“Some places you could get to easily with the light rail system,” Diantha said. “Now considering your current Pokemon, you're a bit stuck in that there's no gym for their aura type. Except for... there is a Fairy gym, and I think she is looking for help this summer.”

“There's already a fairy gym?” Calem asked, curious. “I thought the classification had just been accepted.”

She nodded. “Yes; it's got quite a story behind it too. See, Valerie originally came in as the Psychic type leader in Laverre, but she mostly used Fairy Pokemon misclassified as Psychic. That led to a lot of headaches for challengers as we couldn't rely on established information. Then Olympia challenged Valerie for the right to have the Psychic gym and won, primarily due to the fact that she used actual Psychics. Although at the time, she couldn't use that fact to get the gym title. Valerie had a good reputation as a leader, despite her unusual Pokemon, so she took the unclaimed Normal gym title as it didn't require much shuffling of her teams to do so.”

“But a lot of Fairy types were misclassified as Normal types too,” Calem said.

“Exactly, so she was still a stumbling block to many. Then Augustine came around with his research and, after spending some time examining the gym Pokemon, identified them all as Fairy types. Valerie considered his information and eventually agreed with him, but then she didn't like that she'd been misrepresenting herself without realizing it. While his data was still under review, she put in a request to be identified as a Fairy gym leader. Much of the debate happened before I took over as champion, but I hear from Richard that it was quite an argument because the classification wasn't yet official. But the moment it did go official, Valerie's request was accepted.”

“But if she's worked with them for that long, she'd surely know more about them,” Calem said. “I got some information from the professor, but working there would be nice. Laverre's the town just north of Lumiose, right?”

“Right. Although, you do have to follow the particular rules of her gym. I don't think she often takes boys as gym trainers, but we might be able to convince her.”

* * *

The particular rule was that trainers at the Laverre gym had to wear costumes designed and made by Valerie. The gym, sitting in front of a magnificent old tree, had been built to resemble an elegant dollhouse and all of the gym trainers had to look like elegant dolls to fit in. On realizing that, Calem had second thoughts about working there. He hadn't tried to be that adventurous with fashion yet. However, he had to admit that the girls there did look like pretty dolls and Valerie said that she would design something suitable for a boy if he worked there.

“I think you could be quite cute, since you still have a bit of a childish look to your face,” she said. Valerie looked especially like a fairy doll, with her dramatic brown eyes and delicate pink wings attached to the back of her Victorian era clothes. “But the main thing to consider is why you want to work at my gym for the summer. Would you tell me about that?”

“I'm hoping to learn about Fairy Pokemon by working more with them and watching some battles,” Calem said. “I have one myself, a Floette, and I do have Professor Sycamore as my homeroom teacher at Lumiose Magic Academy. But I think seeing how more of them act and battle in person, I'd know better.”

“I have noticed that your Floette is well cared for,” Valerie said. “If rather unusual.”

“Yeah, everyone comments on his flower,” he said. Mortan was currently sitting on a vase, his black lily contrasting greatly with the white and blue flowers behind him.

Surprisingly, Valerie shook her head. “Most Flabebe choose certain types and colors of flowers, true, but I have seen several with flowers outside their usual range. What I mean is, his aura is like no other Pokemon that I've ever seen, male Floettes are extremely rare sights, and his name is significant. Why did you name him that?”

Calem hesitated on answering that. He couldn't say that Mortan had given that as his name. On the vase, the Floette hid behind his flower's stem and hung his head. “I... I really can't say. There was an accident when I got him, and my Frogadier when she was a Froakie. I don't remember naming either of them, as they were already registered to the Pokeballs.”

“Does he know any unusual moves or skills?”

“Actually, yes, but they come up with gibberish in the Pokeball data. He's reluctant to use them, so I've never seen them for myself.” That was a lie, though; he'd seen one of them when they'd been at Route 6 near Parfum Palace. Specifically, Mortan had said that things would have to be truly dire to require them. Sometimes he wondered if it had anything to do with how he should have died, but thinking on that too long made Calem uneasy.

“Then he is a truly special Pokemon,” Valerie said. “We may never know for certain, but if he doesn't wish to reveal it, we shouldn't press the issue.”

In the end, she decided to hire him. After taking measurements for his uniform, Valerie told him to return in three days with his school uniform, just in case her work took longer than expected.

* * *

Like Viola, Valerie preferred for him to have two Pokemon of the Gym's type. She offered him a Pokemon to borrow for the summer, perhaps to keep if they got along. “I gave it some thought and, considering how you want to learn, I decided on giving you a Pokemon of two aura types, one Fairy and one to match one of your others, so you could compare how they overlap. This young lady here is a Mawile, a Steel Fairy Pokemon. I've been calling her Starlet, since her kind can be surprisingly good actors.”

“Hello Starlet,” Calem said. They were in a room not normally seen by visitors of the gym, the basement area where gym Pokemon owned by Valerie lived. It was as pretty as the rest of the gym, if a little more fantastic with all of its glittering crystals and mushroom themed furnishings. Around the room, at least a dozen Pokemon were out playing around. A Floette with a yellow daisy was trying to get Mortan to play with her, but he was trying to keep serious.

As for Starlet, Calem wasn't familiar with Mawiles, but her stance and expression seemed so haughty that he didn't think he was mistaking it for something else. She had a slim brown body with fur that seemed to spread out like a dress, hiding rather sturdy large feet underneath. Her dark brown eyes regarded him with some doubt, seeming to say that she would only work with him because Valerie said so. But most noticeable was her secondary jaw, a huge steel grin that sprouted from the top of her head and seemed larger than the rest of her body. “Maahhff,” she said softly from her smaller mouth while her larger mouth clacked its many steel teeth.

“She seems very proud,” Calem said.

Valerie smiled. “Oh yes, she is. After you work today, you might want to take her back home and fight some wild Pokemon with her and the rest of your Pokemon, and try to prove your worth to her. She should cooperate, though. If not, we'll arrange another Pokemon to work with you. Now, would you wait here a moment? I have the main pieces of your costume done but we need to see if it needs adjustments. Excuse me; I'll be back in a minute.” She then went into another room.

For a moment, Calem looked around the room to see the Pokemon there. There was one he barely recognized as a Dedenne that was bouncing around on a mushroom cushion, while a Marill nearby watched him cautiously. Past them, there was a Gardevoir that was slowly dancing around and singing a lullaby. He spotted a small Ralts in the Gardevoir's arms, one that had blue fringe where a couple other Ralts playing nearby had green fringe. That was curious, but he wasn't sure he wanted to approach them without Valerie around.

Deciding to sit down as that would make him more on eye level with Starlet, he tried talking to the Mawile. “Were you thinking that you wouldn't be working with a boy?”

Starlet muttered, which Mortan translated as, “She thought she'd be staying in Valerie's team.” When the Mawaile widened her eyes, he drifted down (followed by the other Floette). “Yes, I can talk with humans. But I'm only allowed to speak to Calem right now, so it won't be easy to get a message to anyone else.” She spoke again, annoying Mortan. “It's the rules and really, none of them should know. Him finding out was a mistake, but it turned out well so far. He's a good one.... no that's not why! He is thirteen, but he's a good boy.”

“What does my age have to do with anything?” he asked.

“She wanted to know if you were only working here for the girls,” Mortan said.

“Then you're right, that's not a reason,” Calem said, although he felt a little embarrassed. “I mean, I’m sure they're nice, but... I do kind of like one girl, but she won't be here, I’m pretty sure of it.”

Starlet chuckled at that, but they couldn't talk further as Valerie came back into the room. Calem went into the bathroom to try the uniform on. Her current liking was for classy Victorian pieces, some of which were familiar if fancier than he usually saw, others he barely knew about. One thing he did like was that she had made his in colors he liked, blue and white. While it was different from what he was used to, he thought it still looked nice. She did have to make adjustments, so his first day at Laverre gym as a trainer was spent in his school uniform instead.

* * *

_I thought I wouldn't see her, but one of my more memorable days working in the Laverre Gym was the day Serena showed up. Although, it was about far more than just her._

“Geez, is brute force your strategy?” Calem asked, using the gym network to alert Valerie that Serena had defeated him. “Coming in for your first badge with your Rhyperior, Braxien, and that Aurora Pokemon.”

“Aurorus,” she said, smiling. “And why not use tremendous strength? It's certainly effective. Though if you really want to see brute strength, you ought to be here when I come in for the proof later.”

“I don't think Valerie would call me in on that,” Calem said. He knew a couple of Fairy spells, but didn't think that was enough for use as part of a proof of magic challenge.

“That's a pity,” Serena said. Was she disappointed? Maybe she did think highly of him. But before he could get his hopes up, she went on to say, “Not that you'd be at your best in a magic battle here and now. You've got such an interesting talent but it's so underdeveloped; I'd like to battle you in a magic duel sometime when you'd be more than a speed bump.”

“Well sorry I couldn't have had started way ahead like you,” Calem grumbled, looking away as his face got warm. “We've been working hard.”

“Unevenly with as many Pokemon as you have,” she said, lost in her own thoughts. “Maybe it looks that way to you, but I've got a lot of ground to cover still to get where I want. Anyhow, have fun being a doll; it was certainly a sweet surprise.” She smiled at him, then headed off to one of the teleport pads that would lead to another room of the gym.

Calem revived Starlet and Mortan, releasing them back into the room to wait with him. “She could've been nicer about that.”

Yorick popped out of a vase, grumbling too. “Really?” Mortan asked. “He says that she was a jerk.”

“Yeah,” Calem said, starting to pace around. “I wish I knew if she was being more honest like that or when she's nicer. Did she really have to call me a speed bump? Her Pokemon are like fighting machines, unbelievably strong. I wonder how she trains them to be like that.”

Starlet didn't seem happy either. “No kidding,” Mortan said. “They blew us away. Of course, her Pokemon seem to do that with everyone; I've never seen her lose. Then again, I don't know...” he paused, then looked down at the floor.

He stopped and looked at one of the paintings on the wall, of a castle on a mountaintop. “I don't see what she would have to worry about. She was born with every advantage and she's at the top of our grade, the battle club... but I wish that I could actually impress her once and get her respect.”

“Um, Calem?” Mortan interrupted, sounding nervous.

Taking a moment to push aside his feeling of shame, he turned to his Pokemon. “What's wrong?”

“Something's...” he tilted his head, as if listening to something, “going to happen. Something bad. Could we go down to the Pokemon habitat? I think we should go.”

He walked back over to the tablet that kept watch over what was going on in the gym. “Well I shouldn't leave my post, but...” he checked the guest log again. “Looks like I've fought all three challengers that are in. I'll see if I can take a break.” He put in the request. Moments later, Valerie approved of it and he went to uncover a hidden teleport panel that would take him to the basement level. It would cover itself back up so none of the challengers could get in.

Since it was a busy afternoon, there were few Pokemon down here. That made it easier to hear the small anxious gasps in the room. Over on a mushroom that many of the Pokemon here would use to nap on, he found a familiar blue-fringed Ralts trembling as he lay there. Calem knew that this Pokemon had been sickly since he had hatched. When he would come in to work, he would usually find the Ralts' mother holding him and singing to calm him down.

“He's in really bad shape, I think,” Calem said, touching his head gently. He was shivering and sweating, his skin too warm. “I'm not sure what to do, but Valerie...”

“She can't do anything,” Mortan said, sitting on the mushroom. “This hatchling, he's going to die soon.” The Floette sighed and put his flower down across his lap.

“Are you sure?” Calem asked, feeling a shiver of fright.

He nodded. “There's no mistake.”

“When he's alone except for us?” He looked around, but only his own Pokemon were down here. Looking at Yorick, he knew that the Gastly could get through the building quickest. But the Pokemon here didn't like him and with news like this, it didn't seem best. “Swift? Can you make it up to Valerie's room and tell her Gardevoir about this? I think she at least should be here.”

Swift gave a confident croak and hopped off to the teleport pad area. “She might make it in time, depending on what they're doing,” Mortan said, watching her go. Then he looked back at the young Ralts. “I wish I could do something, but... I already broke the rules recently and this is no accident. I couldn't do anything about his illness. Although, with all that he's suffered, and would suffer if he survived, maybe it's for the best.”

“That's a horrible thought,” Calem said. The Ralts seemed to be shaking harder and his murmurs were getting fearful. Had he heard? Or did he know himself? Whichever it was, Calem didn't like leaving him to be scared like that. He wasn't sure if it was right, but hoping to calm the Ralts' anxiety at least, he picked the small Pokemon up. He was lighter than expected, but his trembles forced Calem to use both arms to keep him secure.

“Be careful,” Mortan said, while the other Pokemon looked on in worry.

“I will be,” Calem said. The Ralts opened his eyes and looked up at him uncertainly. Since he wanted to comfort the dying Pokemon as best he could until his mother got here, Calem tried to hum the song that the Gardevoir was always singing. The Pokemon wasn't sure what to make of him at first, but once he got the tune right, the Ralts relaxed and closed his eyes.

Not long after, the Gardevoir mother came out of the teleport area, looking to them anxiously. “Sura gaa dea.”

“Oh, sorry,” Calem said, going over to her and handing her the Ralts. “He was scared and I was trying to help.”

Fortunately, she didn't act hostile to him. She was soon rocking her child and singing to him softly. Mortan had hovered up to Calem's side. “She's glad that we were here to comfort him, actually. She would understand your intentions without asking.”

Calem offered the Floette a hand to land on. “Does this happen to you often?”

Mortan landed there, setting his flower low again. “Yeah. You spend long enough in his presence, and you'll get to know. But it's usually cases like this, when there's not much that can be done.”

“Have you tried to do something about it, like you did with me?”

“Not since the first few years I was a servant,” he said, hanging his head. “And one time was a horrible mistake; I ended up causing much more suffering to the one I was trying to help. So I stopped trying until I came across you. At the time, I was getting frustrated. Deaths I had to watch, and my oath still keeping me from AZ when I know he suffered, I felt helpless and I didn't want to watch another unfortunate death. Although, so far I don't see much bad coming out of your surviving that.” He paused, then looked over to the Gardevoir. He spoke softer, “This, though... the poor child is lucky to have lived this long, but I don't think that fortunate with the pain he's been in.”

The Gardevoir was still singing, but she wasn't swaying now. Letting Mortan take back to the air, Calem went over to her. “Do you want me to get Valerie?”

The Gardevoir shook her head, even though she was crying. Calem put a hand on her shoulder and ended up giving her a hug. She cried for quite a while.

When Valerie came into the room, Calem was by the Gardevoir, who was sitting against the wall and still holding onto her child. Valerie came over and talked with the Gardevoir for several minutes. It took some convincing to get her to let go of the Ralts, during which Valerie told Calem to go find the challengers still in the gym because she wouldn't be holding any more battles for the rest of the day.

He found Serena in a top floor room. “Hey, sorry to tell you, but the gym's going to close early today.”

“What for?” she asked, frowning. “It's very inconsiderate; it should remain open until active challengers are done.”

“It's an emergency,” he said. “There's been a death among the gym Pokemon and we need to take care of them.”

That chilled her. “Oh, I see. In battle?” When he shook his head, she seemed relieved. “Ah, well it's still a sad thing. I'll come back in a few days then. My condolences go out to her. But... this is the leader's room, right?”

“Yeah, she's usually here.”

“Good,” she said, then went to leave through the exit teleporter.

Calem headed back downstairs, to help the other gym trainers with cleaning and closing up the gym for the day. His Pokemon helped too; surprisingly, Starlet was more cooperative than usual. When he was downstairs making sure the other Pokemon were okay, Valerie came beside him without his notice. “I'll handle them,” she said.

Tensing at the surprise, he turned to her, then relaxed and nodded. “Okay. How's the Gardevoir doing?”

“I think she knew what would happen, but she'll be grieving for a while,” she said, seeming sad herself. “Thank you for sending your Pokemon up to get her. I was a little surprised to see her go off with your Frogadier, but I was also dealing with a challenger.” She paused, glancing around. “Was it... your Floette that alerted you to the situation?”

How did she know? “Um, yes,” he said, scratching his head. “He was acting a bit odd and once we got on break, he came right to the Ralts. He seemed to be suffering and scared, so I had to send for his mother. How did you know that?”

“His name means little death,” Valerie said, in her usual gentle voice. “I would not condemn him for it, but there is a superstition in Kalos about the Flabebe and Floette Pokemon. It is said that the flower of the first wild one you see in spring is a significant sign. Some of it is silly nonsense, changing meanings over time, but the black one never does. A Floette with a black flower means that someone nearby will die. That's because, there is only one Floette with a black flower and that is Mortan, the servant of Yveltal.”

“I hadn't heard that,” Calem said, worried about Mortan. “How many people know about that?”

“Not many, I imagine,” she said to his relief. “It's part of a tragic tale that is often left out when it's told. Yet on seeing him, I feel no curse nor any ill-intentions. Don't let it change how you feel about him. Take good care of Mortan and maybe, he can get a happy ending after all.”

“I hope so, but I have the feeling that it'd take more than I could give him,” he said. At the very least, he knew to really make Mortan happy, he'd need to find a way to dissolve that oath he had. Which meant finding Jack again, one way or another. “I'll try to make him happy for now.”

Valerie let him borrow a book that had the story in it, then dismissed him for the day. It was still early, though, and the train back to Vaniville wouldn't arrive for some time. Although he wasn't sure what to do for now, he ended up walking towards the station outside of town while talking quietly to Mortan. He told him about what Valerie had said.

“So she knew,” Mortan said. “I thought she might, with the way she watched me. Then you'll be finding out what happened back then.” He seemed regretful.

“Are you okay with that?” Calem asked. He was curious, but didn't want to trouble his Pokémon.

“You should read it,” he said. “You'd find out eventually, I mean, ummm,” he glanced around, then floated off. “S-sorry! I have to... you know.” Then he took off.

“Mortan?” Calem asked, then realized what it meant. Although, looking around the street didn't find that person. He went to the train station, wondering if Jack would be over there.

But before finding him, he found Serena again. She was being greeted by a group of girls that, at least a few of them, also went to the academy in Lumiose. “Hey, how's our winner doing?” one of them said cheerfully to her. “Got your first badge to glory now?”

“No, not yet,” Serena said as she hugged her friend. “It's such a pain, but I got right to the leader's room and she wasn't there. And a couple minutes later, I get word that they're closing down the gym for a few days!”

“How awful!”

“Maybe she's afraid of you coming there,” another girl said, making the group laugh.

“No, it's sillier than that,” Serena said. “A Pokemon died and they're being all dramatic about it.”

“It is not silly,” Calem said in anger. “The Pokemon are really upset about it; they're not going to want to battle for a while.”

She glanced at him, then shrugged. “If you spoil your Pokemon, I suppose they wouldn't.”

“Oh, are you one of Valerie's dolls?” another girl asked, grinning in amusement. “You do look adorable dressed up like that.”

“They would be the sort to give into them like that,” a third said.

“It's being mindful of their feelings, not spoiling them,” Calem said.

“Whatever,” Serena said. “Come on, we've got plenty of time to shop here now.” The others agreed and went with her.

“I thought you'd be more considerate,” Calem said, more to himself.

Someone still heard; Jack had somehow approached without being noticed yet. “A beautiful face can come with an ugly mind,” he said. “I've seen that more than I'd like.”

“Oh, it's you Jack,” he said, putting a hand to his chest. “You scared me a bit; I hadn't noticed you.”

“Sorry,” he said.

“One of those girls is my friend,” he said, looking back to where they had gone. “I'm surprised; she's usually not like that around us. Maybe it's just being around the other girls.”

“In that case, you might try to be a good influence on her. It might work. Just keep in mind, it might not.”

“I hope that'll help,” Calem said.

“What were they saying, about a Pokemon who died?” he asked, seeming genuinely concerned.

Well, Calem thought, it might help make a friend out of him. So he told him about the Ralts who had been born sickly, and how he had died and left his mother Gardevoir in grief. “I don't know those two Pokemon well, but seeing them like that would break anyone's heart. Well, I think anyone.”

“I agree,” Jack said, making some sign with his hands. “May the child's soul rest in peace, separate from his pain.”

Calem nodded, then got an idea. “I hope that's true. It's affecting my Pokemon too. I mean, my Floette took off and I need to find him before I head back home.”

As he thought, that got Jack's interest. “Oh... you have one of them?”

“Yes. I mean, it shouldn't be that hard; Mortan has a black flower, so he'll stand out unless he's hiding really well. He's got a melancholic mood most of the time; I'll have to keep a better eye on him once I do find him.”

The giant's eye's widened in recognition, which Calem tried to not notice obviously. Maybe he would know that his old friend had unusual abilities now, maybe not. But he didn't bring up the truth quite yet. “Ah... yes, that's a good idea.” He put a hand to his chin, worried again. “You should find him soon. Oh, but, you might not be interested, but I'm still staying at that old house outside of town. If you'd like to visit sometime, I'd be glad to see you.”

Good, exactly what he hoped for. He smiled. “Sure, I'll do that. I live in Vaniville, but I'm working up here this summer. If I have some time after work, I'll drop in on you. Thanks.”

“No, thank you,” Jack said, nodding. “And take good care of your Pokemon.”

“Of course.” He released Percival, Yorick, Nibbles, and Starlet, as Swift was hanging by his side as usual. “Okay guys, we need to find Mortan. And Yorick, don't scare him this time.”

“Awwww,” Yorick sighed, then gave a nod and floated off.

“See you later, Jack,” Calem said, waving as he went back into town.

_And so for the rest of that summer, I often visited Jack at that old house. Mortan still wouldn't come near the house because of his oath against AZ, but both of them accepted it at the time and would ask about each other. I wasn't sure what was needed to break the oath, but I hoped that if I got the trust of both of them, one or the other would mention something._

_It was slow work. One problem was that even when I stated school again, I had to go out of my way to visit him at that old house. But even at times when I could visit often, AZ was a difficult person to connect to. He'd been wandering around alone for thousands of years after all, rarely keeping contact with anyone. Some days I'd get lucky and he'd be comfortable conversing, but other days he didn't want to say or do anything. However, I did notice that he slowly worked on the house, repairing the structure so that it was safer to be in. Just knowing that I had his dear Floette sparked a little hope in him and he tried to keep my friendship because of it._


	11. Mortan's Story (Three of Three)

_The book that Valerie had let me borrow was full of many old legends of Kalos, often about their royalty. And of them, the oldest was the story of how AZ and Mortan became cursed by the gods. At the time I learned it, I was still treating AZ as Jack, while Mortan could be brought to tears at any reminder of the tale. But I learned details of it from them little by little over the years, which is how I can tell a far richer version than anyone else of this time._

'A long time ago, there was a king who had a Pokemon that he loved dearly, treating him as he would his own child. He lived in a time of great instability, seeking to bring law and peace to lands that had long been in conflict. Using great intellect, incredible machines, and his own immense power, he brought the divergent lands under one rule. But he took no pride in conquering like he did. Indeed, he was happiest when he got a peaceful afternoon with his beloved Pokemon.'

'But not all were happy with him. His own brother, driven by jealousy and greed, came to lead a large number of dissidents. He dragged the kingdom into civil war, more violent and organized than all the strife that had come before. Believing that no one should be exempt from justice, the king fought against his brother's army. His loyal Pokemon followed him into the war and was lost to it.'

* * *

AZ was busy dealing with some lords who lived at the edges of Kalos, something that usually bored the Floette. His friend would be fine handling those meetings, he knew. After all, who would argue against him? AZ knew the secrets of magic and machines, he was strong, and most of all, he was a true giant among humans and towered over them all. Even so, he had a good heart and didn't like hurting others, so he'd be working to end their conflicts and bring peace to all of his people.

Since they could be at it for a while, the Floette floated down the golden halls of this palace, playing his own games. See how close he could float along the floor without touching it, startling the servants going to and fro, dancing with his image in a huge mirror, there was lots to do! Or he could go out to the beautiful garden that AZ had made just for him and play in the flowers that grew year round. Although there were also flowers inside to play with.

The Floette drifted by a room that had its door almost closed and heard voices coming from inside. Familiar voices too: the queen and the king's brother. What were they doing? Planning a surprise? Curious, the Floette slipped through the barely open door, careful with pulling his flower through. He slipped over to a vase of flowers and examined the lily. There was a little damage on the white petals, so he set about to fixing that.

“I would like to be remembered as the one who inspired this exquisite palace,” the queen Mercia said, sitting on a pretty couch. She was wearing a rather constricting outfit that, while it looked nice, made her get tired easily. “It suits me. But it's that intolerable little fairy that inspired the palace, not me!”

“He's always spoiled that Pokemon terribly,” Leonidas said. “I never got what he sees in it.”

Unseen among the regular lilies, the Floette frowned. “If you hadn't been mean to him all the time, he'd be nicer to you,” he muttered, still working on his flower.

“But it does give him a weakness,” he went on to say.

Mercia fanned herself. “No kidding. There are times when I think it gets treated better than me. Get a hold of it and you have control of his heart.”

“Maybe I ought to just avoid you two for now,” the Floette said to himself. He didn't want to cause AZ trouble.

“I would have built a beautiful palace for you,” Leonidas said, stopping his pacing to sit by her. “I mean, what's the use of building one for a Pokemon? They won't be able to appreciate it. On the other hand, lovely Mercia, you deserve a setting as exquisite as yourself.”

She laughed warmly, leaning over to kiss him. Disgusted at that, the Floette left the vase to slip back out of the room. “Sooner or later, I’m going to figure out how to tell him about you two,” he said. It put him in a bad mood for the rest of the day, which was a pity since the weather was so nice.

* * *

“Why would you do this?” His voice was filled with pain and desperation. He didn't want this to be real.

“You only married me for my family's lands! And you have no idea how to be a good husband; your brother is a much better man that you are.” Her voice was filled with malice, grown in silence for five years. It had turned to hatred too great to bear alone.

“Don't hate me for this,” the Pokemon quietly said. The truth had to come to light, but it made him feel terrible to be the one who brought it out of the dark.

That night, the Floette stayed in AZ's room; Mercia had left the palace already. The king wouldn't sleep, too overcome with grief and heartache. While he was usually able to cheer up his friend, the Floette found it impossible to dry his tears that night. Instead, he stayed close, sharing his sorrow.

* * *

AZ was torn, his arms crossed over his chest as he observed the battlefield in the predawn light. They were getting down to the last minute before this decision would come too late to be of use. However, it was something he knew would be effective and did not want to do.

Not wanting to cause him trouble, the Floette tugged at his shirt. “Hey, I’ll go,” he said, knowing that their familiarity with each other would let his friend know what he wanted. “It's scary, but like you said, this would best end fast.”

Giving one last sigh, AZ nodded. “All right. If you're fine with it... captain, go take the other miracle eye to the hill. I'll run the one here, and my Floette with handle the other. He's capable and won't harm our men.”

A few hours later, the battle was raging all over this field. The other side had started with a miracle eye too, but it seemed AZ had taken it out. The Floette was having a harder time finding targets; he had to switch over to targeted spells to take out individuals, as larger spells might catch the king's army as well. Although uncertain of who would be best to take out, he tried to target the soldiers that had fancier uniforms. They tended to be leaders.

And then an attack came from behind, something pounding at the shield of the miracle eye. Startled, the Floette pulled his mind away from the miracle eye. But not soon enough, as a Weezing exploded and destroyed the shield protecting him. Following behind it was a Dragalge who quickly moved in and knocked him out.

When the Floette woke up, he found himself inside of a wire cage. The man who had captured him was handling it roughly, jostling it while he walked. Not only that, but the Weezing had been revived and followed closely. Sometimes it breathed on the Floette, making him feel ill.

He was brought into a tent and set down on a table. “We found this Pokemon working a miracle eye, but they had a second one. At least we got it captured; it would be an asset.”

Another man leaned down and looked at him. Recognizing his face immediately, the Floette frowned at Prince Leonidas. “I hate you,” he said. “You hurt AZ; he's not happy to be fighting you.”

“He is an asset, but don't put him on a miracle eye,” Leonidas said, smiling darkly. “This Pokemon is special to AZ; it will make an excellent prisoner."

* * *

'Several years passed with the king's Pokemon held captive by his brother. He had been reluctant to come against his brother, but this situation changed the king's mind. He fought against his brother's army more severely, always seeking to find his Pokemon and end the war. However, the king's brother kept the captive Pokemon under great security and secrecy, knowing that it was his best weapon.'

'But in time, the secret was broken and a team of knights trusted greatly by the king broke into the rival army's secret base and rescued the king's Pokemon. However, it was already too late. They could only return the Pokemon to the king in a tiny box.'

* * *

For some time, AZ didn't know what to think. His heart felt like someone had drained it empty and crushed it for good measure. He couldn't find the energy to do things, couldn't care about the war still ravaging the kingdom he had built. The only thing that mattered was his dearest friend. Many times, he found himself remembering more innocent times, spent with his Floette and his parents. But they were all gone now, taken cruelly from the world with AZ, the most powerful man in the region, helpless to do anything about it. It was cruelest with the tiny flower fairy; he had done nothing wrong, but his flower was now darkened and his body would no longer float in the breeze.

“What happened to him?”

“It seems he was held captive in a poorly cleaned cage. He died of starvation.”

And his own brother had done this to him. Leonidas had destroyed the kingdom that AZ had carefully built. He had shattered the peace and stability that he had always wanted. He had even stolen his wife and feelings of personal security; Mercia already had born a child to Leonidas, none to AZ. But worst of all, he had neglected the Floette and left him to die, probably pining for AZ and wishing for the old days when they were together as well.

Then he finally felt something again: rage. “He will suffer for this,” AZ said, alone on his throne. “I will destroy his works in return.”

* * *

'Most of all, the king wanted his friend back. He would do anything to bring the Pokemon back to life. And thus, he delved into the dark heart of forbidden magic and machinery. Giving his army orders to crush his brother's forces, he built a machine to recreate the divine miracle of life. But such a machine required great power. He attained this power by sacrificing the lives of dozens of unlucky Pokemon and prisoners, stealing their life to bestow it to his Pokemon. And with this machine, his Pokemon was revived.'

* * *

Maybe he would never be free of this cage?

No, no he couldn't think about that. The Floette shivered and kept wishing for AZ to come rescue him. He had to keep hoping. He had to stay alive. He had to... alive? A cold darkness slipped into his mind and he realized that he had died. He cried out in fear, his heart racing. Wait, his heart? So was he dead, or was he alive?

“'''''! Wake up, '''''. It's okay, you're with me again.”

“AZ?” he said, afraid it was just a dream voice. He'd heard it before, but then woke back up to his prison. The Floette opened his eyes.

There were no bars keeping him prisoner. No stench of neglect and mustiness either. Instead, there was the familiar reassuring scent of his friend, and the warmth of a large hand underneath him. AZ smiled down at him. He seemed older than the Floette remembered, thin and grubby as if he hadn't taken care of himself well.

But they were together again. “AZ, oh thank the gods!” he said, clutching his friend's thumb. Tears came to his eyes and he didn't want to let go. “It's been horrible; I thought I was going to die.”

“I'm never going to let you out of my sight again,” AZ said, smiling and almost about to cry himself. “I'll keep you safe. You're the only one who's never betrayed me.”

“What happened?” the Floette asked, sniffing and glancing around. There was a strange light surrounding them, an eerie violet-pink that seemed entirely supernatural. Glancing down past AZ's hand, he saw a floor made of crystal filled with that light. The floor was shaped like a large petal, almost like his lily's petals. And right next to AZ, there was a tall crystal that emitted the light, as well as a potent aura of life. It gave him a feeling that reminded him of Xerneas' forest.

And then Xerneas himself appeared. “Hah, brilliant piece of work, o great king,” he said with odd enthusiasm. “You have done something that no other has been able to match. I knew that you'd be the ideal student. Believe me, you and that little one have nothing to fear from Death anymore.”

“I couldn't have done it without you, Master Xerneas,” AZ said. He brought his free hand up, clenching it slowly. A feather appeared in that hand, an ominous black feather fringed with red. “But I’m not done yet. Those who have broken the laws of the world and this kingdom... they must be punished.”

“I'm eager to see what comes of it,” Xerneas said.

On the other hand, the Floette began to feel uneasy. Something wasn't right here; the light of this giant flower did not feel right. “AZ? What are you doing?”

* * *

'He stretched the limits of his mind and body to give life back to his beloved Pokemon, creating a miracle that has never been seen again. But despite his efforts, the success did not quell the rage or hatred in his heart. The king could not forgive those who would hurt his Pokemon. With the darkness in his heart clouding his mind, he blamed everyone around them for the pain they had suffered. No one was innocent.'

'To punish the world for letting his Pokemon die, he took the machine that had given life and gave it a new purpose: the ultimate weapon which would bring an end to the long war by destroying everything. He did not care that he had become a force of destruction. All that mattered was having his Pokemon back. More were sacrificed to power the machine that brought death to even more.'

'The revived Pokemon watched this in horror, realizing that the first sacrifices had been to bring it back to life. Unable to accept this, the Pokemon left the man, swearing that it would not return. This eternal Pokemon was then taken in by the gods, to serve them in penance for the crimes committed by the king.'

* * *

AZ had already called on Yveltal thrice, to answer a question twice and to fight a battle once. With the fourth feather, Yveltal appeared without delay. The god of death did not look well; his eyes were weary and his aura felt weakened. “You've called on me at a poor time,” he said, his words lacking energy. “But I will do what I can...” he then took notice of his surroundings, including Xerneas standing on one of the crystal petals. “Wait, what's going on here?”

“Oh, we're just making history,” Xerneas said. “And you're going to help us.” He laughed while his antlers shone. Yveltal started to fight back, but then AZ gripped the feather and helped to restrain him.

“What're you doing?” the Floette asked, concerned. He tried to float after them, but the sight of his flower startled him. Pausing to hold it down, he found that the petals were no longer a pristine white like they had once been. They weren't even browned and wrinkled like they had gotten in the cage, when he'd been too weak to fix them. Instead, his flower was now a shadowy black, with thin streaks of red along the edges. And, it resembled this machine far too much for his liking. “What is this?” he cried out, trying to fix it like he should be able to. But the flower remained black.

While he was fussing over that, AZ worked on the machine. He called out the Floette's name. “Come over here, we don't want to be on it for this,” he said.

He drifted over to his friend. Xerneas was waiting by him, ready to run off. “Would you please explain what's going on here?” the Floette asked. “Why did you capture Yveltal like that? It's a cruel thing to do.”

“He'll get over it,” Xerneas said, delighted by the events. “I'm sure the end result of all this will be spectacular enough that all will be forgiven. Haha, I can't wait.”

“That doesn't explain anything,” the Floette pointed out.

“Okay, let's go,” AZ said, making sure the Floette was there. Then he led the way to a nearby hill for a better view.

Xerneas followed, so the Floette had to fly close to them to keep up. “Do you know what's happened, hmm? You died. Really! An hour ago, your body was nothing more than a corpse with a wilted flower. But AZ created this beautiful machine that brought you back to life! I mean sure, it took the lives of a bunch of others, but like I said, you need never fear death again.”

“Huh? He... He killed others so I could live?” The Floette shuddered. No wonder his flower was black now; the corruption of stolen life made it like that. And did it smell like blood? It should.

“Certainly did,” Xerneas said, as if the sin was of no concern to him. “And it was spectacular, let me tell you. Of course, it had to be done. Miracles aren't cheap and death spirits like Yveltal don't make things easy. But AZ really went the extra mile on this machine, and I've got to see it to the finish.”

The Floette felt like collapsing out of the air, but that would make him land on Xerneas. “How can you be so happy about it? You're the god of life. Why would you let someone kill for power?”

“Make no doubt about it, I am the god of life,” the stag said, shaking his antlers proudly. “I can create anything if I have the energy. And, there has to be room for new creations too. All living creatures require some space, whether it's great big creatures like AZ here or little bitty ones like you. So a few lives are lost, no big deal. I can just make more to replace them. Oh ho, and this is going to be great! Yveltal's due to drop any time now as it is, as the war is growing weary. We're just, oh, hurrying the process along. I'm going to have so much I can do in coming years!”

“Are you crazy?” the Floette asked in horror. Xerneas just laughed.

This was wrong, very wrong. But the Floette's protests went unheeded. The powerful machine that had brought him back to life was now being turned to death. He went to AZ seeking reassurance... but he saw the hatred in his eyes. No longer was he the gentle giant that wanted all the conflicts to cease so people could live in peace. Now he sought to destroy everyone around them, deeming them all guilty and unworthy of forgiveness.

“I don't want to be a part of this evil!” the Floette shouted.

That startled AZ. For the first time, he knew exactly what the Pokemon was saying. “What? ''''''?”

His black flower shook with rage. “I helped you because everybody was being mean to you. But now you've done worse than that to mean and nice people alike. I'm leaving and I'm not coming back.”

“Wait, don't go!” AZ now looked frightened, desperate again. “I brought you back so that we could always be together. Losing you was the most painful thing in my life.”

“I smell like the blood lost by innocents,” the Floette said. “That's the price you paid. I can't accept that... you became worse than mean, you're evil.. I swear, I’m not coming back to you until you lose that corruption.” Then he brought up a strong wind to blow him away, not heeding AZ's calls.

Several hours later, the Floette was lost. He didn't know where he had ended up; this place was dark and cold. He shuddered and cried, alone again.

But not for long. A beak that could easily crush his flower and body nudged him. “Little one...”

He looked up into Yveltal's eyes, terrified.

“You will be alone for a long time,” Yveltal said. “Not even I can kill you at this time. What are you going to do?”

“I, I don't know,” the Floette said. He hadn't thought that far ahead, or even this far ahead. He just knew that he couldn't stay with AZ after what he witnessed, not without being corrupted himself.

“Your soul is bound to myself and Xerneas now,” the god said. “Stay with me.”

“Bu-but what about AZ? I wish I could help him, but...”

Yveltal raised his head and shook it. “Your words have taken root. You will not be able to approach him. He has to find salvation for himself.” As that caused the Floette to start sobbing again, Yveltal leaned over and nudged him again. “But if you still wish to help pay for the weight of his sins, accept that you are a servant of the gods. There is still danger and in your condition, you may suffer more than ever without any chance of relief. I will protect you from such things as long as you stay with me.”

“Yes, I will serve you,” the Floette said, feeling that it would be foolish not to accept the god's protection. His old name was taken away from him, replaced with a new one: Mortan.

* * *

 

'Day after day passed, but they were never to meet. Eventually, the king became a mere shell of a man, condemned to wander forever by the light of the weapon...'

'And a Pokémon that also wanders eternally…'

'This is the curse they wrought themselves.'


	12. Psionics

    _My third year at LMA was marked by schoolwork. It was a very busy year, but nothing much important to this story occurred. Something I studied was important: my Psionics class. At the end of my second year, when I talked with Professor Sycamore about what I wanted to take as an optional class, he recommended the study of supernatural mental abilities in humans. For a long time, they were known as psychics, able to perform feats with the powers of their minds, things magic wasn't entirely capable of: telepathy, precognition, and so on. We felt that my enhanced state of awareness in rainy conditions was related._
    
    _My father was not happy with that._
    
     “Why didn't we hear about that sooner?” Shawn asked, oddly sharp.
    
    There was a second of silence at the dinner table as Calem was startled and Mary grew concerned. “Well I hadn't talked about my class schedule yet,” he told his dad, puzzled at the reaction. “The professor thinks it would help and...”
    
    “It could cause a lot of trouble,” he said with a frown. “Leaving that part to someone else, who doesn't know what could happen, is an invitation to disaster.”
    
    “I don't think it's that bad,” Calem said. Compared to what Trevor was capable of, enhanced awareness was practically harmless.
    
    “If you study it much further, it will get bad,” Shawn said.
    
    “Why don't you just tell him?” Mary said, putting a hand on her husband's arm. “He'll have to know sooner or later, better before than after the fact.”
    
    His father sighed, looking down at the table. “Fine. It would have been easier if you hadn't started studying magic. But once you start, well... we have to be careful. The rain awareness is only a shallow portion of the power in our family. If you stay there like I've tried to, then you're fine. But studying that magic further will become a curse; its true purpose is to kill others. If you use the deeper parts of this magic, you could turn into a monster.”
    
    “I'd turn into a Pokemon?” Calem asked. It seemed like an odd curse, although not one he'd want to activate.
    
    Shaun shook his head. “No, you'd turn into something far worse. You've seen one before: the faceless monsters. Studying psychic powers could let you understand the rain awareness better, true. It could also unlock the path to the deadlier abilities we're both capable of. Don't even try to understand them and you should stay safe.”
    
    “But humans aren't capable of natural magic like Pokemon,” he said, recalling some of his magic lessons. “Why do we have this talent? Or curse, if it develops?”
    
    “I wish I could tell you,” he said. “But unfortunately, this is a hereditary power and there is a disconnect from our family source. In particular, related to Gran.”
    
    “What about her?”
    
    Shawn tapped the table, marking out an imaginary family tree. “It's not from her. This power appears to be strictly from father to son, as my aunts and uncles have no affinity to rain. Rather... I passed it to you, it was passed to me by my father... and his father was not the man that Gran married in Unova. He was actually born in Kalos and adopted by a family here. Once she got married, she asked for permission and was able to bring him over to Unova. We're not entirely sure who my father's father is. There's suspicions I have, but we could never get her to talk about it and now there's no way to ask her. My father never studied magic, so his power didn't develop beyond feeling more alert in the rain. I did study magic, but Gran insisted that I be careful and...” he snapped his fingers, “certain events convinced me to go with her advice. So we don't know all that much, just that it will get deadly if developed.”
    
    “But how do you even know that without having studied it?” Calem asked.
    
    “I know it for certain and I won't be convinced that it's not,” Shawn said. “I should speak with your Psionics teacher then. He or she should be warned to be careful what objects you use while trying to develop and understand it.”
    
    

* * *

    
    _Despite my father's worries, Psionics turned out to be a really hard class for me. True psychics with psionic abilities were uncommon, so LMA only had one class for them. All grade levels would meet in the same class; the teacher, Mr. Tarin, would give lectures some days and have us practice on others. For third-years like myself who had just joined, we had a lot to catch up on in the basics to study with the rest of the class. I managed to learn the facts and theories as I listened to him, read the class books, and watched others practice. But when it came to actual practice, the fact that I couldn't do anything except when it was rainy or foggy really limited me. My typical Psionics class for the first couple of years went something like this._
    
     “It's Tuesday, so the entrance should be close to here,” Calem murmured to himself, running his hand across a wall. It felt solid here, but somewhere it should be fake.
    
    Certain classes, including Psionics, were taught in a special classroom: the Star Gazer room in the library. It was built to absorb unusual energies and brainwaves that often appeared when psychic abilities were used. If it was an ordinary room, the students' work could disrupt those trying to study or work in the surrounding area. But since it wasn't an ordinary room, it did not have an ordinary entrance. The door was normally hidden behind a weak illusion spell that any naturally talented in psychic powers would notice it. Not only that, but the door tended to move from day to day. Calem knew where the classroom was, but he had trouble locating the entrance more often than not.
    
    Eventually, his hand found empty space that he was able to pass through. The classroom beyond was larger than it seemed and eccentric, perhaps fitting for those who taught and trained there. The walls were painted a dark blue, with diagrams in gold and white which were often referred to in lessons. Sometimes, black curtains would cover over the diagrams or the storage space in back. The lights could be as bright as any other classroom in the academy or dimmed for atmosphere (or helping the students focus). Sometimes it had normal school desks; sometimes it had low round tables they would sit around on cushions. It could change subtly or drastically from class to class.
    
    It was set up with the low tables today, with equipment that suggested today would be mostly practice. That was disappointing. By now, the teacher, Mr. Tarin, had excused him from practice unless told otherwise. Calem went over to the back to take one of the books kept in this room to study. Looking over the titles, he considered that he'd have to start another report soon, the main way he was going to earn points needed to pass this class since he couldn't readily practice. There was a guide to symbols found in divination, so he decided to take that for his next report.
    
    When all the students arrived, Mr. Tarin shut the door and assigned them to work on their individual studies. He would go from table to table: checking on progress, answering questions, pointing out and correcting errors, and generally making sure no one was doing anything dangerous. Calem was on a couch by one of the walls, so the teacher sat by him in time. “What've you got your eye on now?”
    
    “Symbolism in divination,” Calem said, keeping his voice low. It was important not to disrupt others who might send an object telekinetically flying if they lost focus. Or worse. “Although just looking at the table of contents, I see that it's a much broader subject than I thought.”
    
    Mr. Tarin nodded. “Yes. Some symbols have meanings that remain similar throughout the world, but others have many different meanings based on methodology and region. And even then, sometimes the symbolism is particular to the diviner and the subject. It's still important.”
    
    “Why do these messages have to be done with symbols and riddles?” Calem asked “People use it to find truth and answers, but I can't see much use in an answer you have to interpret correctly first.”
    
    “There's a few reasons for that. For one thing, it takes a lot of effort on the diviner's part to tap into the spiritual forces they seek for answers. They can reduce the amount of energy they use by accepting a symbolic answer instead. A second reason is that sometimes the source they ask is one of the gods who happens to be asleep, and thus receiving a clear message would be improbable. A third reason is that the source might be a god who likes riddles and mischief; always need to be careful trusting their messages. And there's other reasons, but it's usually one of those three.”
    
    While he explained it, Calem couldn't help but think, “Sounds like a lot of trouble, almost like you could find answers quicker through other methods.”
    
    Mr. Tarin smiled and put a hand up to block his words further. “Sometimes it is. But there is a sense of theatrics that a lot of people like in divination. A good number of diviners use their skills more for entertainment than serious reasons.” He put his hand down, then added, “Symbolism is a big part of psionics, though. You've seen it, how often I tell students to use their imagination to work their powers.”
    
    “Hasn't helped me, but seems to help some others,” Calem said. He tapped his head. “When it rains, I just know things, like I get information through the water somehow.”
    
    “Water typically doesn't convey information, not without enchantments or preparations,” Mr. Tarin said. “Spell casting is about symbols as well, when you get down to it. The runes we use are treated as letters in most cases, but letters are symbols as well.” He got up. “Here, we can drop in on some of the older students. You might see how they use symbolism, which will help you understand that book better.”
    
    “All right,” Calem said, getting up and following him over to one of the tables.
    
    There were two girls and a guy at the table already. One girl had a pendulum with an eye-catching jewel on the end, the guy had a shallow bowl with some peach-colored sand settled in the bottom, while the second girl seemed to be helping the other two. “Something up?” the second girl asked.
    
    “You know Calem, right? One of the third year students. Would you demonstrate your divination practices for him?”
    
    “Sure, no problem,” she said. “What should we read?”
    
    “How about why he can't use his abilities?” the girl with the pendulum said. “I've been curious about that.”
    
    “I can't use them outside of specific weather conditions right now,” Calem said.
    
    “But if you can identify that condition and what might be causing that limitation, that would be interesting,” Mr. Tarin said.
    
    “Do you know why?” the girl with the pendulum said, starting to swing it in a circular pattern.
    
    “Possibly,” he said with a smile.
    
    “That is pretty weird, that it depends on the weather,” the girl without anything said. She got up, silently getting the other girl to swap seats with her. That put her next to Calem. “Do you have different powers depending on weather?”
    
    “I don't think so, just the one,” he said.
    
    “Huh, well I can't think of why that would be. Here, hold out your hands, palms up; that's always my best method of reading people.”
    
    The girl with the pendulum had her eyes closed now, chanting something under her breath. Calem followed the instructions of the other girl. After examining several lines on his palms, she held her hands flat, palm down over his. He could tell that she was doing something with aura as their hands were not quite touching, probably reading his. She held that for a minute, then began writing something on a piece of paper at the same time as the other girl did the same.
    
    “Could you come over here for a moment?” the other boy said. “I had to wait for the sand to settle down anyhow.” When he was there, the boy handed him a small packet of handwipes. “Wipe your hands down, dry them on the white towel, then submerge your preferred hand in the water, down to the sand. Take some of it, then let it fall back the water. The green towel's to dry your hand off.”
    
    “This seems like an involved method,” Calem said while he made sure his hands were clean.
    
    He shrugged. “Hey, the other methods I know involve throwing bones or dissecting chickens.”
    
    “You've dissected chickens for this class?” he asked before following the other instructions.
    
    “Well not in class, since the school won't let us,” he said, smiling. “My family raises chickens, so when we need to kill one, we use it for divining too.”
    
    “I would never want to learn that skill,” the girl with the pendulum said, making the other girl laugh. She had to cover her mouth and try not to be loud a second later.
    
    Once Calem had taken some of the sand and let it slide back in the water, the older boy watched how it clouded up and settled down. “Let's wait a moment for him to read his work,” Mr. Tarin said.
    
    It took a little while, during which the boy with the bowl put his hand to his mouth. “Well... this is odd. But I suppose the circumstances are odd too.”
    
    “What do you three have for why Calem can't practice in class?” Mr. Tarin said. “Use what you've seen and interpret it.”
    
    “The growth lines on his palm suggest that his magic has yet to come out,” the palm reader said. “It shows the classic signs of a late bloomer; lines related to aura have a thin portion for longer than most people.”
    
    “I don't think it's his magic since he seems fine outside this class,” the pendulum reader said. “On the question of why he can't practice, I did see an unripened fruit. It is prepared, but is unsuitable outside of ideal conditions. Something should cause the power to ripen, although I was unclear on if it was time, practice, or an outside trigger.”
    
    Lastly, the water diviner said, “Immature power? It could be that, but I think his power will grow in stages. As of now, he can only use his abilities when water is visible in the air, when there is some sort of precipitation such as rain, fog, or snow. It was interesting that your aura only sharpened when the water was falling from your fingers, but soon faded. In that time, I saw a step pyramid. Your power is at its basest level right now, only a foundation. If you find the key to moving up to the next step, it may become easier to use your baseline ability without the precipitation, and your next ability will only be usable in precipitation instead.”
    
    “A power in stages?” the palm reader asked. “I'm not sure how to read that in someone's palm, but it seems like there should be something.”
    
    “Actually, it doesn't work well in snow, but it does work in rain and fog,” Calem said, letting her check his palm again.
    
    “That's what I've been able to determine as well,” Mr. Tarin said. “The power you have is at its lowest level right now and until there's some trigger, either in maturing further, practice, or something else, it won't develop to its next level. It's not enough to keep you from magic, but you're not using magic at your fullest potential. Unfortunately, we don't have enough information to determine what will happen when this power develops.”
    
    “It'll require a different divination or just finding out on my own, huh?” Calem asked. “There's not many I can ask about it, and they haven't told me much so far.”
    
    “So then, what were you three able to determine what his power is?” Mr. Tarin asked.
    
    “Well besides the unripened fruit, I saw some odd symbols,” the pendulum reader said when the palm reader hesitated. “They were encircled together, so they're related but I don't know if I can read them straight. One was a foot, the other was a dagger, and the third, um,” she drew it on a part of her notebook paper, then tore it off to pass it over. “I'm not sure what to make of that. I thought it was wings but then the wing symbol I normally see isn't like this.”
    
    “That's what I saw too,” the palm reader said, showing her notes. It was the same: a circle around a foot, and dagger, and something that had a round top and a long jagged extension that seemed like it could be wings. “And I thought, those aren't normal symbols. They mean something together. Normally I'd say it has something to do with trying to run from strife, but confronting it would allow one to triumph, but I had a gut feeling that wasn't quite it.”
    
    “What was the orientation on the symbols?” their teacher asked, looking over the illustration.
    
    “The wing thing on top,” the palm reader said. The pendulum reader nodded with her.
    
    “That's a cowl,” the water diviner said. “It would normally be a symbol of death or subterfuge, depending on context. And the foot is an anklet. It isn't the symbols that are important, it's the symbolic items: cowl, dagger, and anklet.”
    
    “What makes you think that?” the palm reader asked.
    
    “I saw the same thing,” he said. “But I saw the items on a table in a familiar context. There's been a few times when I've helped my grandmother do a divination on a haunted location. Sometimes you get a vision of a book, a bell, and a candle on a table. She says that's a sign that there's a ghost who must be cast out by a priest or someone of similar talents.”
    
    “The book, bell, and candle are symbolic items of priest,” Mr. Tarin said. “One of ceremonies using those items are the old excommunications, casting someone out of a church and community. The same procedure can work on some ghosts.”
    
    The water diviner nodded. “Right. So these three items are related to some profession that he has a natural talent in.” He shrugged. “Although I have no idea what profession that is.”
    
    “Oh, you know, that almost reminds me of something I read now,” the pendulum reader said. “But what was it? It was in a book of scary stories, I remember that. Maybe I should find that book for you.”
    
    “What profession would call for a cowl, dagger, and anklet?” Calem asked, coming up with a blank.
    
    “Do either of your parents use those things for work?” the pendulum reader asked.
    
    He shook his head. “My mom works as a cook, so she might use knives, but she rarely wears jewelry because of that. And my dad has done a lot of jobs over the years, but I can't think of anything like that.”
    
    “Well you've found where I got stuck too when I was looking into Calem,” Mr. Tarin said. “And I'm not sure what those items would be for. A cowl and dagger, one might think for a thief, but I don't see where the anklet would come in.”
    
    “I hope my power's not just for stealing things,” Calem said. Remembering his father's warning that the ability could turn deadly, he wondered if it was an assassin. But he wouldn't like a job like that. “Although maybe it's a magic anklet that helps them walk quietly?”
    
    “That makes sense, since a priest's tools usually end up being enchanted just in being used as they are,” the water diviner said.
    
    “So what can you do?” the palm reader asked.
    
    He thought over the material he'd been reading. “It's... I get increased awareness of my surroundings and I can sense things from aura. I've been able to identify objects that I'd otherwise know nothing about as long as it's in the rain or fog and within reasonable distance from me. I can even interpret runes affecting others and read spells as they're being cast, so I can dodge them readily. In battle club, the other students won't accept challenges from me on rainy days because they know it'll be tough to hit me.”
    
    “So you're already in battle club, but your full magic potential hasn't come out yet?” the palm reader asked, glancing at his hands. He nodded and let her look at one again. “Well... looks like that is right. Huh, I wonder what you'd be able to do later on if observation skills are your base.”
    
    “I already want to get some scanners near you when the conditions are right,” Mr. Tarin said. “Although since we can't schedule the rain, we might have to go somewhere else and let you summon it yourself.”
    
    

* * *

    
    _Because the rain kept coming on days that weren't during the Tuesday and Thursday Psionics class, eventually Mr. Tarin had us meet in a battle room in the gym so that I could be accurately measured and practice. I didn't mind doing this in front of the rest of the class, since I had watched all of them give demonstrations before. Although some of them might have minded, since he made sure they had to come along by making it a lecture day._
    
     The LMA gymnasium had an indoor court for various sports and a swimming pool on the ground level. Down in the basement, there were four rooms that were used for Pokemon battles so that other areas of the school weren't tied up or damaged by such classes. They were made with all kinds of moves in mind, from having the structures strengthened and regularly maintained against moves like Earthquake to drains in the floor so there was no problem with him calling rain indoors. And like the Star Gazer room, it was made to safely manage aura energy; the advantage here was that there were no items that would be damaged like in the library.
    
    The students and some of their Pokemon were gathered on the bleachers at the side, as it was the only place in the room to sit off the floor. For the purpose of today's lesson, Calem had been asked to have Percival and Yorick out. The latter had recently evolved into a Haunter, so he had an arm around Calem's neck and hung there to watch. All of the students had been warned that today's lesson could be wet, so most of them had rain jackets, hats, or umbrellas at hand. Although Calem never minded his clothes being damp, he wore a hooded jacket already.
    
    “For any of you who pursue careers in psionics, one of your basic skills must be detection and identification of energy,” Mr. Tarin started off with. “And it isn't just being able to sense aura that counts. Aura is only one form of energy; psionic abilities can be detected apart from aura, enchantments can be detected apart from native magic, Pokemon aura will differ from human aura, even ghostly auras will differ from others. Some of you already have the ability to do this. Others of you will need to learn detection and identification, or learn to use a device that can do so for you.
    
    “For today's lecture, we are going to focus on a computer program that is capable of detecting various energies. It can identify characteristics of that energy, but in order to effectively use such programs, you need to learn to interpret their results.” Using a projector on a nearby wall, he showed them the program's interface, then had various students and Pokemon enter the program's detection area. The energy was displayed in a picture in many different colors; they didn't resemble who was in front of it, but Calem saw the resemblance to what he felt when his power was active. Beside the picture, there was a number of readings which were all different kinds of numbers. Only a few were obvious, like identifications of an energy's type.
    
    Mr. Tarin used the Pokemon to demonstrate how the numbers differed. Part of the reason he wanted the Honedge and Haunter were because they triggered sections that normally only came on for ghosts. Apparently Ghost Pokemon had a low ghostly presence, but it was those extra forms of energy that made them what they were.
    
    Then, it was his turn. “Okay, Calem, let's get you up here.”
    
    “All right,” he said, getting off the bench and going into the battle square where the detector was aimed. As he walked in, his presence in the picture was very dim, nearly blending into the background aura. Some of the students widened their eyes or murmured at this.
    
    Mr. Tarin nodded; it seemed that he'd seen this before. “Now Calem here has an interesting presence. You see, this is almost how an ordinary person with no psionic energy or magical abilities would appear. I say almost because his presence is actually on the low side, not quite average.”
    
    “Then you're just a person studying psionics instead of using it?” one of the guys asked.
    
    “Not exactly,” Calem said.
    
    “Right, he's actually doing quite well in his magic classes. I want all of you to take another look at the status area. Notice anything we haven't seen with the rest today?”
    
    Another student said, “There's that button that popped up, the one that looks like a knot.”
    
    “Yes, that is a sign of power being restrained. It normally comes up when a sealed object or location is scanned. It's unusual to run into a person bearing a seal.” Mr. Tarin clicked on the seal button, but the information wasn't even available to the program. “Normally this sub-menu would allow us to determine what kind of seal it is, so we'd know how to break it. Seal identification is not that simple, and this one isn't in the computer's database.” He moved it back to the main screen, then took an item and tossed it to Calem. It had a dark blue gleam on the screen and was readily identified as an item enchanted by Water. “Now fortunately, we are aware of what undoes the seal, either partially or fully. But unfortunately, it requires rain, so you'll want to put on your jackets if you want your uniform to stay dry. Calem, that's a Damp Rock which will extend the time your Rain Dance is active.”
    
    “That's handy,” he said, rolling the oval-shaped rock in his hand. It had a porous surface, like pumice, but didn't feel as dry as pumice would.
    
    “Right, we can see how it works better,” Mr. Tarin said, putting on his own jacket and then placing an anti-water shield around the computer. “And I'll warn you all: I haven't even seen what comes up when he's in the rain, so this'll be interesting. Whenever you're ready.”
    
    “When all of you are,” Calem replied, glancing over his classmates who were closing bags or putting things on. Once they seemed ready, he focused on the Damp Rock and twirled around to cast Rain Dance. There was a flash of the Water aura as he cast the spell, and then the air dimmed as slightly warm rain fell steadily within the room.
    
    And his image immediately vanished from the detector program's screen, appearing as little more than a black silhouette with the dark blue of the Damp Rock floating. “Well that's new,” Mr. Tarin said, walking into the detector's range as well. He showed up just fine.
    
    “I don't notice him now,” one of the other students, who was blind save for seeing aura. “That's really spooky, there's just an absence of anything where he was.”
    
    “I'm still here,” Calem said to him. “I hadn't known that it did that.”
    
    The blind student put his hand to his chin. “And you make it spookier by talking.” Some of the others chuckled.
    
    “Sorry, I don't mean to scare,” Calem said. Although, now that his awareness was up, he could sense how the boy's eyes were dead. That was spooky too.
    
    By then, Tarin was back at the computer, reviewing the numbers. The seal button was still there, surprisingly, and its sub-menu still gave no information on him. “Your aura is doing an incredible job at making you undetectable, except in the fact that detecting nothing is a sign that something's going on. I was hoping we could learn more to help you understand your power like this, but if the computer isn't going to detect anything, there's not a lot that we can do. You said that your main use of this was to know what is going on around you, even if you don't know yourself in normal conditions?”
    
    He nodded. “Right.”
    
    “All right. In that case, I'm going to have you put on a blindfold and some headphones. These headphones will cancel out all sound except for that which comes from speakers from a headgear I have. We'll be asking you some questions that way. Also, those of you who do know about detection and identification already should try getting information off him too.”
    
    Aware that the Damp Rock could make his rain last for fifteen minutes and he'd know a minute before it ended, Calem agreed to be blindfolded and made deaf. It only made his aura sense come through more focused, letting him tell exactly what his classmates were doing and how they were feeling. It was nice when they were impressed, with things like tossing the rock to another accurately and catching it easily upon return. But then there were others who, even with their unusual gifts, thought that this was too strange. Monstrous even, especially the blind one, because people didn't have their auras go blank to detection just because of rain.
    
    It didn't occur to him until later, outside of class, that he had experienced another being who was undetectable by aura in rain: that faceless man he had met on Route 6, the one his father still wouldn't tell him about.
    
    

* * *

 

_That picture? Where'd you get it?_

    
    _Hmm, yes, I remember that. I don't remember when exactly it happened. It was either the end of first semester or second that third year... no, it had to be second because Yorick's a Haunter. I don't think it's very important... well, but it is one of my favorite memories and it won't take long to tell. Okay, one evening I was in the common room of the boys dorm with my Pokemon because Yorick had been teasing Tierno when he was trying to study in our room. He'd always teased the students around him, so it wasn't easy to break him of that even when he joined me willingly._
    
     “Before we met, only you would have gotten in trouble for what you did,” Calem told the Haunter, hoping this might work. “But now you'll get all of us in trouble if you're too much of a pest.”
    
    The Haunter's smile didn't fade as he replied. Mortan hit his head against his flower's stem in annoyance. “He says he'll just be more careful not to be caught. That's missing the point. You need to learn more civility as you belong to a Trainer.”
    
    “That, and maybe getting a new hobby,” Calem said. “Though I'm not sure what to suggest as a replacement to keep your clever mind occupied.”
    
    Yorick chuckled, pleased even as he was being chided. There was a tug at Calem's elbow, so he looked over to see that Starlet had come over. The Mawile handed him a ball of pink yarn. “Where'd you get that?” Mortan asked. She pointed over at a basket by the couch that, for some reason, had a number of yarn balls inside.
    
    “And what is that doing here?” Calem wondered aloud, taking the yarn. “Maybe one of the other guys left it on accident. Or.. wait, that label's for the art rooms. Must be borrowing it for a craft, or that class competition.” Many school events would feature some kind of competition between homerooms, to complete some task or make part of the festivities. The closest one he could think of was for the even-numbered grades, as the last had been for odd-numbers like his own.
    
    “Well you do have nice hands now,” Mortan said to Yorick. “You could take up some kind of knitting or yarn work if you wanted.”
    
    Calem tossed the yarn and caught it again; his Pinsir noticed immediately and came over, curious. However, he tossed it to the Haunter instead. “Yeah, you probably could. What do you think?”
    
    “Haaa ooo?” Yorick asked, catching the yarn and looking it over quizzically.
    
    Mortan went over and tugged at an end. “Here. Although you might want to watch someone before trying yourself.”
    
    Yorick cooed in glee as he took the end of yarn and began unwinding a bit. He drifted off, wrapping it around his fingers while figuring it out. While Calem watched him for a second, Nibbles nudged him, still curious about the yarn. “Well whoever borrowed this isn't here, so I'm sure we can borrow one or two for a bit,” he said, taking a yellow yarn ball out of the basket. “Here, catch,” he said, tossing it to her. The Pinsir didn't have large appendages, but he thought she might be able to get it with her pincers. Instead, she batted it back at him. “Hey!”
    
    Unexpectedly, Mortan gave a laugh at that. He soon put his hand over his mouth. “Well if you have fun doing that, nothing wrong with it,” he said, a bit bashful.
    
    “Nothing wrong at all,” Calem said, soon batting the yarn back and forth with Nibbles. Starlet watched from the side, quite interested. Whenever the yarn ball went astray, Swift showed up from wherever she was hiding and got it back on course. Then Calem tossed it to Starlet. She was startled as it hit her metal jaw, but then lunged forward to grab it off the ground. From that point on, she was in on the game too.
    
    Mortan struggled to keep a straight face while watching. Eventually though, he laughed again as the Mawile was trying grip the yarn with her paws instead of her metal jaw. With a smirk, she threw it right at him, knocking him back a foot in the air and making Swift pop back out to make sure the yarn didn't hit the ground. “Watch it,” Mortan said, trying to be indignant but then laughing again.
    
    “Yeah, that yarn weighs more than he does,” Calem said, smiling. “He couldn't catch it.”
    
    “I can too, if I wanted,” the Floette insisted.
    
    “Then here,” Calem said, catching it from Nibbles and tossing it to Mortan.
    
    “Hah!” The air around him warped slightly, like haze on a humid day. Mortan caught the yarn ball through telekinesis, then hurled it past Calem and the couch he was sitting on. That got them to all look that way... and see what Yorick had done with his yarn ball. And probably two dozen others.
    
    “Yorick!” Calem said, getting off the couch and going over there. “What... why'd you do that to him?”
    
    Yorick rubbed his hands together and cackled. Meanwhile, Percival sighed. Somehow, he'd been caught up in a web of yarn crisscrossing across his blade, hilt, tassel, and sheath. With the varying lengths knotted together and hooked onto various objects in the common room, the Honedge was left strung up in midair trying very hard not to fray or cut the yarn.
    
    He expected to hear Mortan interpreting as usual. Instead, there was the click of a camera. “Whoa, how'd this happen?” Trevor asked.
    
    “I have no idea,” Calem said. “And I’m not sure how we're getting him out of it either, not without cutting him out.”
    
    _And wouldn't you know it, Trevor had recently learned how to get Ghost Pokemon to show up clearly in photographs. Thankfully, we managed to get Percival loose and the yarn raveled up again. Those who found out about it at the time thought it was funny even though I worried for a bit about getting in trouble for it._
    
    _My mom did get after me a few times for such yarn ball games later on, but my Pokemon really enjoy it._


	13. Glitter and Shine, Lovely Kalos

    _My third summer in Kalos, I didn't have a regular job. Instead, I went on various trips with my friends. There wasn't much of an actual plan. Sometimes one or more of us would have to go home for a family event, sometimes all of us spent an entire day talking and figuring out where to go. If we needed money, we'd battle other Trainers or find some errand to run. I have a lot of fond memories of that time, treasures I'll always have. Like the time we crashed Serena's sixteenth birthday party._
    
     “I can't believe we're actually doing this,” Calem muttered. 'This' being attempting to sneak into Parfum Palace with Shauna, Tierno, and Trevor while dressed up clowns in order to get into a fancy party they had not been invited to. Each of the clown outfits had their own quirk, and it so happened that his costume came with sparkly bunny ears.
    
    “It's so crazy it has to work,” Shauna insisted, keeping her voice low while they made their way through a garden of hedge mazes. Her clown costume included kitty ears and a tail.
    
    “Well we've gotten this far, so no point going back,” Trevor added, shifting the feathered cap he wore. He and Tierno had lucked out in appearance, as Tierno has a headband with antlers on it. So how did Calem end up dressed like a bunny?
    
    This had all started almost a month ago at the end of the school year. On a day when they didn't have much to do in homeroom, the class started talking about what they were going to do over the summer. “There's supposed to be some really cool ghosts over at this old broken down hotel outside of Lumiose,” Shauna said. “Since I'm thirteen, my parents don't mind me traveling on my own during the summer, so I'm gonna look into that!”
    
    “You're always chasing after ghost stories,” Tierno said. “And most of them turn out to be only Ghost Pokemon or old wrecks.”
    
    “Yeah, but I'm sure I'll find a real ghost someday,” she said.
    
    Trevor laughed a little. “One would think that you'd raise the dead with all the ruckus you bring everywhere.”
    
    “You'd think,” Shauna said, tossing her hair and making others laugh. She grinned at that.
    
    “I heard that there were some interesting stone formations over near Genosage,” Calem said. “I thought about seeing that for myself. Or maybe going to the beaches on that side of Kalos.”
    
    “Oh man, those are great places to go,” Tierno said, nodding. “My family used to spend summers on the coast; there's so much to do over there. Plus I heard they've opened up a cave where you can find fossils and gems.”
    
    “That'd be like work, but it'd be fun because then you'd have gems to make jewelry with!” Shauna said, intrigued by this idea too. “You should come with us too, Serena!”
    
    “I have to pass, sorry,” she said. “I'll be focusing on my Pokemon League credentials, so between challenging gyms and training my Pokemon, the only time I'll have to spare is already taken by my birthday party at Parfum Palace.”
    
    “Wow, you're having a birthday party there?” one of the other girls in class asked, impressed. “I've heard it's one of the most beautiful buildings in Kalos.”
    
    “Yes, and it's family tradition to hold a party there for certain birthdays,” Serena said. Despite that, she didn't invite any of them there to the party.
    
    A week later, when he met back up with Shauna and Tierno to discuss their travels (as Trevor was twelve and his family didn't want him out on his own with his condition), the subject of the party came up quickly. “I think we should go,” Shauna said.
    
    “But she didn't send us any invitations,” Tierno pointed out, disappointed. “You'd think she would have, since we're her friends.”
    
    “She's not been much of one lately,” Calem said. “She didn't even stop those other girls from making fun of you, Shauna.”
    
    “Well she apologized for it later,” Shauna said, not seeming all that hurt. “I think she wants us to come and that's why she told us about it. She's been trying real hard this year to stay looking cool, but I room with her, so I've heard her fussing over who she should hang out with to maintain her social appearance, and about how she's trying to be like all these great people like her dad but thinks she comes up short, or even debating on what classes she should take in order to get into some kind of exclusive apprenticeship that she really wants. I try to tell her not to worry about it and have fun instead, but she keeps trying hard to get liked by people that I don't think are her friends. So we should crash the party and show her what real friends do!”
    
    “Based on how some of them argue so much and then keep trying to be friends for appearances, yeah, that doesn't really seem like being friends,” Calem said, relenting to her. There was some truth in that. He had seen Serena complain about another girl who was using her to advance in popularity, but then when Calem told her that didn't seem right, Serena apparently couldn't deny the girl or her reputation and popularity might be wrecked. From the sound of her voice, that was something akin to the end of the world if she lost that, which he didn't really understand. And the next week, Serena and the other girl were denying ever liking each other for whatever reasoning went into popularity.
    
    “But what kind of present should we bring her?” Tierno asked. “I never know what to get her since it seems like she could get anything she wanted and I could never afford that.”
    
    “I was thinking we'd do something only we could do, like give her a song!” Shauna suggested.
    
    Calem wasn't too sure about his ability in singing, but Shauna promised that she'd write something easy. Since it was from all of them, they talked Trevor's parents into letting him come along for the party crashing. Then they wanted to all their Pokemon involved in the singing too, which was quite a group involving two Floettes, a Frogadier, a Chespin, a Meowstic, a Crawdaunt, a Honedge, a Pinsir, a Haunter, a Mawile, a Spinda, a Swirlix, a Fletchling, and a Litleo. Calem wasn't sure they could get all the Pokemon and themselves ready in time, but that turned out to be what Tierno's knack was.
    
    Since he had to do more practice singing to come close to the others, Calem often spent time with Tierno and the Pokemon. It was just as amazing to watch him plan as it was to see him perform. Tierno would talk to the performing Pokemon for a little while, observing how they moved and communicated naturally, and then he knew exactly what it should do to get the end result Shauna wanted. Like how Percival spoke exclusively in metallic tones and Starlet could speak with or without them depending on her mood. Or how Nibbles could making a humming drone with her hidden wings or clicks and snaps with her pincers, but didn't make as much noise as the others.
    
    Or even the differences between the Floettes. “Mortan's really quiet and hesitant to sing,” Tierno said while considering the two. “But Coco is the chattiest of Trevor's Pokemon and she'll sing on her own. If we do use Mortan, I’ll probably have him in the rhythm or base melody. Coco's fine with a lead part for a celebration song, but I don't think Mortan would fit a noticeable part unless it was something somber. Which is odd for a Floette, but I can imagine him doing really well making people cry at a song.”
    
    “I would like to cheer him up more often, but it's kind of how he is too,” Calem said, sitting on a low wall in the park where they were practicing. Their Pokemon were wandering around until Tierno called on them, so he tried to keep an eye on those at the edges, especially Yorick, as much as possible.
    
    “Well we've got enough cheerful and energetic Pokemon that it should be fine for this performance,” Tierno said. “I wonder if she'll have her Pokemon out and about; I may have to consider them joining in in conducting them.”
    
    “How'd you figure out how to conduct Pokemon in music?” Calem asked. It was something he'd been curious about for a long time, since he'd first met these three friends. “I know people who have trouble just directing Pokemon in battle, but this has got to be harder.”
    
    Tierno rubbed his head. “Ah, actually I find this far easier than trying to lead them in battle. I get so nervous about getting my Pokemon hurt that it's hard for me to keep up with the battle. But then this, everyone has fun with it so it just comes to me. Oh, you might not believe this, but when it was a little kid, I was really sick for several years. There were points where I had trouble just eating and so I got to be little more than skin and bones.”
    
    “That's horrible,” Calem said. And truly hard to picture given Tierno now. The two of them were about the same age with Calem being older by a few months, but Tierno was larger than he was. He was hesitant to call his friend fat, because he actually had a fair bit of muscle too and could keep up with the rest of them on skating and biking trips. Although, he or Trevor would be the first to get tired and Tierno could stand to lose some of the flab.
    
    “Yeah, it was, but I got through it all,” Tierno said, his voice positive as usual. “And one of the things that helped me was music. I was always borrowing CDs and albums to have something new to listen to. And I got to where I could sing anything I'd heard; I wanted to dance too because I admired dancers even more, but it was tough for a long time. After a while, I noticed some Fletchlings that would be near my window when I had my music on, so I tried to coax them to sing along. And wouldn't you know it, it worked! It's always easiest with Fletchlings, I find, but I've been able to get more and more Pokemon to sing along.”
    
    Calem smiled. “So out of something terrible, you managed to do something amazing? That's great. Are you planning on going along with Shauna when she becomes a music star?”
    
    “You bet!” Tierno said. “We'd get Trevs in on it too, but he gets nervous around big crowds and so far he really only does the Pokeflute which doesn't always work out with our style. Still, I think he could become big too if he gets control of his aura disability and becomes braver. We bring him into our performances hoping to help him get over that stage fright.”
    
    “I think you're doing pretty well,” Calem said.
    
    He ended up having to spend so much time practicing that he didn't get to help Shauna plan the act as much as he would have liked. This ended up in the small disaster of the costumes she got for all of them. “Since we're gonna have lots of Pokemon, I thought we should look like cheerful Pokemon clowns!” she said as she pulled out clown suits in silver and pastel colors.
    
    “Really?” Calem asked, not sure he wanted to be seen wearing those. Especially not by someone like Serena.
    
    “Shouldn't you have asked us first?” Trevor asked, looking over the felt cap covered in white and peach feathers that Shauna had handed him right off the bat. “I mean, it's a bit embarrassing...”
    
    “No, it'll be fun, I promise!” Shauna said, then handed Calem a headband that had sparkly white bunny ears on it.
    
    “Your idea of fun or ours?” Calem asked. Although at that point, they only had one day before the party, not enough to return the costumes and find something else. So they went with it, hoping that even if they ended up making her laugh, they could make Serena's party more memorable and try to get her to be less uptight. After all, it'd be hard to take anything serious with costumes like these.
    
    Now here it was, the day of Serena's birthday party. The four of them had arrived at the lawn of Parfum Palace to discover that they were checking invitations at the gate instead of further inside. Fortunately, Mortan had an idea. He whispered to Calem that there should be a servant's entrance in back near the garden, if things were as he thought they were. Calem suggested to the others that they walk around the fence and sure enough, after nearly twenty minutes getting around the huge brick and iron fence, they found a back entrance that had a padlock that Shauna was able to pick. When Tierno asked her where she had learned to pick locks and why, she just said, “Always be prepared!” with a smile.
    
    The hedge maze garden was quite a task to navigate. The bushes were thick, growing well above their heads in nearly manicured formations. Occasionally, they would come upon small flower gardens hidden away in the labyrinths, with gorgeous plants and outdoor furnishings. “Oh, they did a really nice job on this place, I can tell already,” Mortan said quietly on Calem's shoulder. “This isn't the palace, I know, since it burned down centuries ago... still, so many memories.”
    
    As much as he would have liked to say something about that, Calem didn't want to draw attention to such a conversation with his friends around. He gave a slight nod and kept following Shauna and Trevor as they debated how to get through this place fastest. And since that was taking up so much time, he eventually had several of his Pokemon hover over the hedges and try to gauge the path out from that viewpoint.
    
    Eventually, they came out to stand in front of a white stone statue of a large dragon god, where a straight path showed that following the central path would have been easier than sneaking around. Past the statue, there was a stone bridge that arched over a large pond stretching across the back of the palace. Other statues and fountains were within the pond, making the back as impressive a sight as the front. The massive doors on the other side of the bridge had been left open, making it easy for them to get inside.
    
    The inside of the palace was as grandiose and lavish as the outside. Or even more so: the walls gleamed a rich yellow gold, the floors were polished so well that they could see their reflections in them. Nothing inside was ordinary as even the most mundane of furnishings like chairs and light fixtures were so elaborate or ornate that it seemed they properly belonged in a museum. Statues and paintings lined the halls, while they occasionally got glimpses of servants dressed as formally as they had been in the Battle Chateau.
    
    “This is incredible,” Trevor said, caught amazed as the rest of them for a moment. “Then, um, where would the party be?”
    
    “The ballroom should be in the hall to your right, second door on the left past the entrance hall,” Mortan said quietly.
    
    And he turned out to be correct, which the others deduced by it being where music was coming from. There were a fair number of people inside, all dressed in lavish if old-fashioned attire. Looking on, Calem wondered if this ballroom looked like this when it used to be used by royalty. He did note something odd: for being a girl's sixteenth birthday party, there weren't many teenagers there. It was mostly adults with a few other teens mingling around. All the teens fit in with the regally dressed adults; their group would be the ones to stand out once they went inside, even compared to the modestly dressed servants. They'd stand out even if they weren't Pokemon-themed clowns.
    
    “There she is,” Calem said, pointing Serena out to the rest. Like always, she out-dazzled everyone else there. Today, she had her hair done up in elaborate braids and beautiful antique hairpins. Her dress was worthy of belonging to a princess, a fanciful elaborate piece of pink and white that seemed like it might be heavy and warm even if it was cute. She wore dainty white gloves and two necklaces, one having a heart-shaped locket and the other being a strand of white pearls. She was talking politely to an older woman, but also seemed bored.
    
    “Great, then this is it,” Shauna said, bringing her hands up to her chest. “Everybody ready?”
    
    “Ready for anything,” Calem said, with the other two boys nodding.
    
    “All right, then we'll go in, and get singing while everyone's still surprised enough that they won't stop us,” she said, then bounded into the room and forced them to move quickly to keep up. Fortunately, the small instrumental group that had been playing the music was between songs as Shauna called out, “Hey Serena! We've got a wonderful birthday surprise for you!”
    
    Everyone was staring at them; Calem tried not to look too embarrassed, so he checked on his Pokemon as he had the most of their group. They seemed to be waiting on the signal to start, even Yorick who was putting off being distracted to join in. Meanwhile, Serena looked shocked to see them there, probably more so because of their costumes. “Oh... my...” she said, her hand near her mouth.
    
    “We wrote and made a special musical number for the occasion, so here you go!” Shauna said, then turned to find Tierno and nod at him. And thus their song began.
    
    It was unlike any other song Calem had experienced before, much less participated in. They had such a wide range of participants, from Pokemon who would sing as part of their normal everyday life like the Fletchling to Pokemon who usually weren't thought of connected to such cheery numbers like Percival and the Meowstic Merlin. And even among the four of them, Calem had hardly any experience singing in front of others, while Shauna and Tierno both wanted to get into musical careers. Thankfully, his part wasn't that hard and their number went on without much of a problem.
    
    There was some laughter and applause when they were done, although the most enthusiastic response came from Grace, Serena's mother. “Yeah, that's exactly what we needed to liven this party up!” she said, coming over and giving them high-fives. “Nicely done, kids.”
    
    “Yes, that was quite unexpected,” Serena said, smiling in amusement. “But it was wonderful, really, thank you.”
    
    “I wanted to have Pokemon races on the front lawn and lane, but the old guy who owns this place is such a wet towel,” Grace added. “Come on and stick around, although first you have to tell us how you got in here.”
    
    With that permission approved by Serena (although not quite by the owner once he heard how they got in), they were able to stick around and talk with her. “I was just about to see if I could go out in the gardens because it is a bit of a drag in here, if you're pardon me for saying so,” Serena told them. “But you know, family traditions and all that, had to invite certain folks even if I hardly ever see them.”
    
    “Like those far-flung aunts and uncles that you only see every five or so years, but you always get Christmas cards from them?” Calem asked. “Sometimes I don't see how my parents keep track of them all.”
    
    She nodded. “It gets bad when you're talking about third cousin twice removed or something like that. Like if you put together the family trees of everyone in this room, there'd be people who were five pages away because they couldn't all fit on one as your last common ancestor was three hundred years ago, but invite them anyhow. That's how it is between me and Lord Owain de Kalos, the man who properly owns Parfum Palace. Then I found out just today that Lysandre is Owain's nephew, so he showed up for a bit. He didn't have an invitation either, but there's nobody in the room that would deny him coming by. Apparently he's due to inherit the palace, unless Owain does something silly like will it to his Furfrou.” She frowned. “Which is entirely possible, I realize now that I've talked to him for a little while.”
    
    “Wasn't the original of this place built for a Pokemon?” Calem asked. When Serena gave him a curious look, he shrugged. “Something I read somewhere.”
    
    “Legends say that it was,” Serena said, thinking, then moving towards the exit of the ballroom. “Come here, I can show you something about it if you're interested.”
    
    “Sure,” Teirno said. Since Serena seemed familiar with the place, they all left with her into the hall just outside of the ballroom.
    
    She stopped them in front of a large portrait of a king and queen that Calem recognized as being the same from the memories Mortan would show him sometimes. He was a large man, with thick short blond hair that had probably natural highlights of red in it. His green eyes were quite piercing, giving him an intelligent and observant air; the fact that he was larger than anything else in the portrait might be a hint at his power or his actual appearance. At his side, there was a gorgeous woman who would have been greatly admired even today. She wore ribbons of lace and pearls in her dark blue hair; her skin was fair and smooth, completely unblemished by any flaws. Beside them, there was a table that had a vase of various flowers in it. But, a single white lily was out of the vase; a Floette was napping on the table while clinging to his flower.
    
    “This is AZ, the great king from the golden age of Kalos' birth,” Serena said. “As well as his wife for a few years, Queen Mercia. Parfum Palace was built as the second replica of their country palace; there was one castle they had in Lumiose which no one's quite sure what it looked like, as well as the mountain palace AZ built as a defense in the worst times of war they lived through. The ruins of that place lie at the foot of League Headquarters, actually. Some legends say that the country palace was built as a wedding gift to Mercia, but others said his gift was actually the Crystal Clock at Anistar, while this place was built because the Lumiose palace made one of his Pokemon sick too often. See?” She pointed out the Floette.
    
    “Hey, that's a Floette,” Trevor said. “Wow... so this guy is your ancestor?”
    
    She shook her head. “No, we don't think he had any children. Although, I think we are descended from Mercia; she eventually left AZ and married his brother Leonidas instead, and my family most definitely goes back to him. It's either her or his second wife.”
    
    “Wow, I don't think I could trace my family history back further than my grandparents,” Shauna said, impressed.
    
    “It's weird, but this portrait of AZ makes me think that I've seen him before,” Tierno said. “Or maybe just someone who looks like him. Weird.”
    
    “Yeah,” Calem said, although he knew who it was that Tierno couldn't think of. “Lysandre's family has the same claim, right? I've heard it anyhow.”
    
    Serena nodded. “Yes, but like I said, our family branches have been separated for quite a while.” She touched the pearl necklace she had, smiling. “Oh, Lysandre even came with a gift; he got me this necklace, see. And they're real pearls too, gathered from wild oysters instead of farm-raised ones. It was so sweet of him.”
    
    “I think that's weird,” Calem said. And creepy too; a grown man who was probably in his forties giving a teenaged girl a pearl necklace when she wasn't directly related to him? Maybe if he'd been closer to her age and her boyfriend, maybe it'd be fine then.
    
    That just made her laugh. “What, you hadn't heard? It's a tradition to give a girl a pearl necklace on her sixteenth birthday. My father thought about doing that, but they got me the locket instead, saying that I could put what picture I want in it. Though I haven't found one I like for it yet.”
    
    “Ooo, yeah, it looks like one you'd put a picture of you and your boyfriend in,” Shauna said. “If you were dating anyone.”
    
    “That's what my mom said too,” Serena said, still happy about it. “She can be so silly at times, but I wouldn't trade her for any other mother.”
    
    “Mine's the same way,” Calem said. “What're you going to be doing after this?”
    
    She put her hand to her cheek. “Well, my next goal is to beat Grant; the trainer badges shouldn't be quite as much trouble after I pass him, although magic proofs won't be that simple.”
    
    “But you have a whole load of those badges and proofs already,” Shauna said.
    
    “I wouldn't call three each a whole load,” she said. “That's just getting started.”
    
    “Well we plan on going that way, so why don't you travel with us?” she asked. “There's so much we could do along the way! Especially once we get to the beach.”
    
    “It's not that far from here,” Serena said. “Just a long hike down route 7 and through the mountain caves. In fact, Grant's gym is in the caves.”
    
    “But it'd be more fun with friends than just with your Pokemon, right?” Calem asked.
    
    She hesitated on answering, which let her father interrupt their conversation. “I think they've got a good idea,” Richard said.
    
    “Dad?” she asked, puzzled that he'd come out of the ballroom too.
    
    He smiled and nodded. “Don't want to waste your youth, after all. Sometimes I worry that I made you too serious. There's no time limit on your goals, after all, and I don't think the Tower of Mastery is going to be open until next summer. You might as well spend the summer having fun because they'd certainly keep strict restriction on your activities if you made it.”
    
    “I guess so,” Serena said, and that was how she wound up joining them on their travels through Kalos.
    
    

* * *

    
    The southeastern beaches of Kalos were gorgeous. Golden sandy beaches ran along the shimmering sea, cliffs stretched far into the brilliant sunny skies, wild Pokemon of many different kinds went about their lives in a carefree manner. Even the summer crowds added to the wonder of it all: the people playing volleyball, those holding Pokemon battles, joggers, sunbathers, swimmers, families... it was a happy time to spend with others, to enjoy life.
    
    “Wonder when the girls are going to come back,” Calem wondered to himself, standing on the warm beach with his sandals in hand.
    
    They weren't planning on swimming today, just playing on the beach, but still decided to shop for more beach-appropriate clothes. Being in a good mood, Serena had challenged them all to pick things that were outside their normal color schemes. So no pinks for Shauna, no blacks for Tierno... no dark blue for Calem, which was a disappointment, but if it got Serena out of her usual black and red that seemed so much like Team Flare's colors, he agreed to the challenge. After some time in a boutique with Tierno, Calem had picked out an orange shirt that had a print of a rather fierce looking Mawile, along with khaki shorts that went to his knees. He kept some sunglasses because of the brightness, but decided to go barefoot for a while because it felt nice.
    
    Then he spotted them coming down the wide stairs from the aquarium. Tilting his sunglasses down to see the color a little better, it seemed that Shauna hadn't gone too far from her usual colors as she was wearing a purple sleeveless shirt with a white skirt. But Serena had taken it to heart. She was now wearing a sundress with a soft green and white checker pattern. Somehow, she'd also found a green beret that matched it, along with a white ribbon bow on the hat.
    
    “That's really cute on her,” Calem said quietly. Then he waved and called to them, “Hey, over here! Our group's gotten a little bigger now!”
    
    “Oh has it?” Serena asked, coming over with Shauna.
    
    “There you are!” Trevor called, running over towards Calem to wait on the girls too. “Hi!”
    
    “Hey Trevor, you came too!” Shauna said, grinning and running the rest of the distance. Serena laughed and followed suit.
    
    The younger boy nodded. “Yeah, my parents agreed to come out here for the afternoon. Although my mom's still caught up in work, at least we got to join you. Wow, you both look nice.”
    
    “Thanks,” Serena said, smiling. “You missed on another fashion game. You seem to have done nicely this time, Calem.”
    
    “It didn't take too long,” he said, rubbing his head and grinning.
    
    The day seemed to go by in a flash there were a few Pokemon matches had, and building of a large sandcastle, and lots of talking. It seemed like all too soon when Trevor's parents called them over to get dinner somewhere in town. “We'll have to find a place now if we're going to catch a train back to Lumiose before dark,” his father said.
    
    “I know a nice place,” Trevor's mother said. “It'll be our treat.”
    
    “Aw, thanks Janet,” Tierno said.
    
    “I wish the day hadn't ended this fast,” Trevor said, trying to smile but disappointed to be reminded that he'd be going back home with them.
    
    “Can't stop the sun, not even by magic,” his father said. “But you know, we've been talking, about how you're all good kids. We don't want you going out on your own so far, Trevor. But if you promise to stick with your friends and they agree to watch over you, we'll let you go with them this summer.”
    
    “Really, I can?” Trevor asked, surprised enough that he nearly backed into his Meowstic. Merlin just patted his shoulder.
    
    “We won't let anything happen to him,” Calem said. “Right guys?”
    
    Serrena nodded. “Yes, certainly, he'll be safe with us.”
    
    “Thanks, I promise I'll be with them,” Trevor said happily, hugging his mother and then his father.
    
    “Oh, but we should get a photo of you kids before we head back to town,” his mother said, bringing out the camera that Trevor usually had. So the five of them all gathered in a laughing happy group (with Serena putting herself right by Calem, in part because they were the two tallest there) for a picture.
    
    

* * *

    
    Running through the enormously tall grass was fun. Unlike the soft lush grass in front of Parfum Palace, this field on Route 14 was drier, more like paper. That made it rattle as he made his way through it. He caught glimpses of Pokemon as he passed through, his own playing around too or wild ones observing them. He spotted one Pokemon that looked like a mournful ghost clinging to an old stump. Since it was crouched down trying to hide, Calem let the Phantump be.
    
    “Now which way out of here?” he mumbled to himself. For once, Mortan wasn't with him. He'd found a nice patch of purple flowers, so Calem had let him stay there as he liked. Since he could see nothing but the green and tan grass all around him, patches of black dirt beneath his feet, the Phantump, and bits of the clear blue sky overhead, it was a hard time getting his orientation. But if he kept going forward, he was bound to come out some time, right?
    
    Before long, he came across Yorick. The Haunter made an exaggerated look of surprise, making it look like his jaw dropped a foot. Calem laughed, but Yorick soon put a finger to his lips and grinned. Waving for him to follow, he led him through the grass and right to the edge, at a point where Serena seemed to be hiding. She was sitting on the ground and seemed to be playing some video game, right near a rustic wooden fence that blocked off the side of a steep drop. A waterfall tumbled down into a river not too far ahead. Coming to his side, Yorick tapped Calem's shoulder, then pointed him to Serena with a look of mischief.
    
    Well, why not? Calem smiled and nodded, then quietly stepped out of the grass. Serena didn't seem to notice him, so he stepped further out of her possible view and approached her. “Hey Serena!” he shouted once he was about a foot from her.
    
    She yelped, dropping her tablet and trying to get up and turn around, only to fall backwards in doing so. Yorick went into hysterics, racing around the area in delight. When Calem laughed, her face turned pink and she frowned. “Geez, don't listen to that crazy Haunter! I thought you had more sense.”
    
    “I thought we were supposed to be enjoying a day outside, not playing video games,” he said, but went over and offered her a hand up.
    
    She took it, but then turned her attention to brushing dirt off her skirt. “It's not a game. Well, okay, it kind of is, but it's not at the same time.” Then she grabbed her tablet and made sure it was fine.
    
    “What do you mean by that?” Calem asked, trying to peek at it. He caught a glimpse of a stadium and what looked to be a Wailord.
    
    “It's an app called Super Training,” she said, doing something with it. “Do you remember Clemont? One of the seventh year students in Battle Club, he challenged my Dad a while ago in the Trainer's League challenge and won, but he wasn't even able to get past Siebold in the magic challenge.”
    
    “Yeah, but I can't say I knew him well,” he said, coming up with a blank on what Clemont looked like. Wasn't he a blond kid? He did remember that battle against Richard, since Clemont had made use of quite a few Electric aura Pokemon.
    
    Shutting down the program, she set her tablet in her bag and finally looked at him. “He was a nerd, but really smart and worth knowing. He was kind of like Trevor is, in that he started at LMA before most kids do. Anyhow, he spent his last few years developing the Super Training program to take advantage of the fact that Pokeballs store Pokemon as digital information. It makes it so that you can put your Pokemon through virtual reality training and it works just as well as real life training. Well, almost, you don't want to put a Pokemon exclusively trained in Super Training in a challenging battle right off, as they don't really level up or evolve as a result. But they will start out stronger, so I'm putting a Phantump I just caught through some rounds, to see how he is and if I want to add him to my team.”
    
    “That sounds cool, but why not just bring him out and play with him for a while?” Calem said, waving Yorick back to his side. “It is a beautiful day and this place is gorgeous. I mean, just look over that fence; that is some seriously beautiful countryside over there, and even when you see bits of Laverre, it fits in and looks so amazing from up here.”
    
    Serena chuckled. “You're sounding like Professor Sycamore now.”
    
    “Well Kalos is a great place,” he said. “I'll agree with him on that. Come on, bring out your Pokemon too and let them run around. I've hardly seen them except in battles. How can you be friends with them if you don't spend time with them?”
    
    She rolled her eyes at that. “Come on, people who say that bonding with your Pokemon is important are just excusing a lack in training ability. I spend good time with my Pokemon too and treat them fairly.”
    
    While Calem wondered about that, he wasn't sure if it was a good thing to bring up. He didn't want to be arguing with his friends at this time. But maybe if he teased her about it... “Oh, I get it. You're just afraid that people will find out what Pokemon you're using and use that to their advantage. Right?”
    
    “I'm not afraid, especially not of something as silly as that,” Serena said. “Although it is sensible to keep your roster rotated so people aren't quite sure. It's just, I'd make better use of this time doing the Super Training and finding some people to battle than letting them be lazy and lie about in the sun, or go around scaring folks for no good reason.” Yorick cackled at that.
    
    “Are you sure that's a better use of your time?” Calem asked, tilting his head. “It's like what Shauna's going on about all the time. Do you want to remember this summer as nothing but a series of battles you can't really remember because they weren't worth remembering? Or would you rather look back and say, 'wow that was crazy, but it was so much fun'?”
    
    “Well I don't know how much simple memories can help me get to where I want to be,” she said.
    
    _I did eventually tease her into letting them out for a little while that day, but they were really serious, even a bit uncertain of why they were being let out then. That just made it easier for Yorick to tease and irritate them. Eventually one of them knocked him out, but once I revived him, he was still pleased about it._


	14. Show Me Your Dark and Bloody Heart

    _We went all over Kalos that summer. After spending a week at the beach, we took a train back to Lumiose in order to go find the lost hotel that Shauna wanted to find. There were Ghost Pokemon, but no real ghosts... although we did run into a bunch of punks who turned out rather nice; they taught us some skating tricks once we told them that we liked skating. Then we dropped in on Jack, which happened to be the first time Serena met him. She was wary at first, but was nice to him. After a few hours, he told us to go back to enjoying our summer rather than spending time in his gloomy presence, but I know he was much less gloomy than usual because we did visit._
    
    _Then we passed through Route 12 to get a view of some amazing power plants; couldn't get inside, but it was fun watching the others trying to help Serena catch a Gible, only for it to end up with Shauna instead. And she wouldn't let it go, so Serena finally said she'd find another dragon. Because she was interested in the Tower of Mastery, she had us hike past Courmarine and a lively Gogoat ranch to go see it. But as her father had said, it was closed to the public and we had to move on._
    
    _Our summer was winding down, but I still wanted to see the monoliths at Geosenge. We passed through Reflecting Cave to get there, which was a cool adventure on its own. But you want to know about the actions of Team Flare... and yes, it was during that summer that people started to suspect that something big was coming, all because of what happened in Geosenge while we were there. And honestly, it wouldn't have happened if we had decided to go somewhere else._
    
     It was hard to believe, but the sky was dark when they finally got to the western exit of Reflecting Cave. While the day had been exciting, they were all tired as they walked up to the gate of Geosenge Town. “Do you think we could find a place to stay tonight here?” Shauna said. “I like camping and all, but it'd be nice to sleep inside again.”
    
    “There's inns in a lot of towns, so I imagine there's one here,” Calem said.
    
    Serena nodded. “It actually has several really nice ones; I've stayed in this town before. In fact, I can think of one that should let us take care of our laundry too. It's on the other side of town, but the view is quite lov... ah, what was that?” she asked, pausing and putting her hand on the arch.
    
    'That' had been a sudden shifting, as if the path they were walking on had been shaken without warning. But it was clearly more than that; a church bell somewhere in town rang out noisily, while loose items outside tumbled over. It didn't last long, thankfully. “Was that an earthquake?” Shauna asked.
    
    “Huh, was that...?” Mortan said quietly by Calem's ear. He floated out in front of him, looking around the area.
    
    “Had to have been,” Trevor said, looking Merlin. The Meowstic had his dark blue fur fluffed out in fright. “It's all right, calm down Merlin. Although, it is strange that you'd react like this.”
    
    “Was it just that?” Calem asked, gripping his head. He'd never been in a natural earthquake before, but hadn't expected it to be as disorienting as it was. But then, feeling something that seemed so immovable as the ground move without warning would be strange. It was different from experiencing someone using a quake-like spell.
    
    Different enough that most of the Pokemon with them, not just Merlin, were agitated by the quake. It took some time to calm them down. But as they were about to go find the inn Serena knew about, Calem realized that Mortan had disappeared from the group. After making sure where the inn was, he let the others go check in while he searched for the Floette.
    
    But as night overtook Geosenge, there wasn't a sign of Mortan anywhere.
    
    

* * *

    
    “Mortan?” Calem walked slowly through Geosenge's dirt paths, trying to find the missing Pokemon. “Were you called back? I thought there would be more warning.” After all, he didn't own Mortan like he did Swift and the others. He was just borrowing him from Yveltal for... what reason was it again? To see what resulted of saving him. But it hadn't turned bad, he thought. His close call with death hadn't been like the Ralts he'd watched over once.
    
    Geosenge looked strange in this light. The sky was an orange-pink from the rising sun meeting a cloudy sky, enough to shut off the automated lights but not enough to see clearly by. Even stranger, the ground was covered in a violet mist that was slowly growing thicker. It was so early that he didn't see anyone else walking around. At the moment, he was coming close to a trio of stones that stood in the center of town. They could be ordinary stone, but seeing them in this light made them seem supernatural.
    
    Or, was it early? Something didn't seem right. Calem recalled the earthquake from yesterday, wondering again what about it startled the Pokemon so badly. He should know simply by asking Mortan... but Mortan was missing. Calem had to find him; he felt a strong feeling that something wasn't right here and they needed to get going. Maybe he should've woken up his friends, but his worry over Mortan persisted.
    
    There was a heady scent in the air, he realized. It had a mix of bitter and sweet that felt so wrong. Dangerous? Yes, it was dangerous, it was something about this mist, it was about that earthquake... all of it. But what? “Mortan! Geez, how am I supposed to find a flower in this mist... oh wait, of course.” He looked up at the clouds and cast Rain Dance to heighten his awareness. Why hadn't he thought of that sooner? The rain should let him feel Mortan quicker than looking for him.
    
    But what he sensed wasn't his Pokemon, or a quiet town... or anything that should be here, anything that he could see with his eyes. When he sensed was death, saturating the area with the mist. The dangerous mist appeared with death; being within its grasp would cause death. Then... was everyone else dead?
    
    Before his mind could become overwhelmed by that horror, he caught something else in the rain: dream aura. He was dreaming, so it wasn't clear if this feeling of death was real or not. But looking at the stones, which had seemed strange and supernatural before... blood was trickling down them, evidence of murder.
    
    He wasn't alone either. Once he knew that, he turned around and found someone he hadn't wanted to encounter again, even in a dream. “You felt a connection to this place, didn't you?” the faceless man said. “It's not our handiwork, but I felt the connection too. It is a power of death; we have a power of death. That is why you came.”
    
    “That's not...” Calem started to say, but then he found himself doubting that. Why had he wanted to come here in the first place? The monoliths had sounded interesting, but was that alone enough to explain why?
    
    Snapping his hand to his chest, the faceless man made a glowing dagger appear. With a fiery glow, he carved out an unusual rune in the air. “Let me make my point another way,” he said, then flung the dagger at him.
    
    Calem stepped out of the path of the fire dagger readily. Maybe this was a dream, but he still felt strongly that he didn't want that dagger touching him. Or the next two that the faceless man summoned, one of air aura and one of rock aura. But he wasn't able to escape the next attack... which came not from the faceless man, but from the three stones. They each latched a chain onto him, then began to drag him within their circle. The violet mist was gathering there, so thick that he knew going in there would be instantly fatal. Even in a dream?
    
    This was just a nightmare, he shouldn't be able to die. But he had a feeling that the faceless man was truly there, as was whatever other power of death that was trying to overtake him. Afraid that this was all too real, Calem pulled back on the chains, trying to maintain his ground. It worked for a second, but the pull of the stones was stronger. The chains were glowing with power... just like the daggers. A chain of air, a chain of grass, a chain of steel. Which meant if he got the daggers...
    
    They were lying in the ground now, just within reach. He grabbed the handle of the fire dagger and, after a second's thought, used it to cut the chain of steel. Once that let go of him, the air dagger took care of the grass chain and the rock dagger took care of the air chain. That was actually simple (although his heart was still racing from fear).
    
    “Your fear will die soon enough,” the faceless man said. “It will die sooner once you take death into your own hands. The rune you now know summons your higher senses at will, not just in the rain. Use it to know your targets. Use it to kill those near you.”
    
    “No, I wouldn't,” Calem said, but then whispers came from all around him. Kill them. Death is the key. Kill them. And when he looked out into the misty town of Geosenge, he could tell that there were others out there. It wasn't just one faceless man... it was many of them, wishing for him to kill.
    
    “No, I won't,” Calem said, finding it hard to speak. The dream began to dim and his awareness changed to reality, of waking up in an inn in Geosenge. For a few minutes, he found that he couldn't move except to open his eyes and see the first rays of dawn streaming in through the window. But they were still whispering to him, kill.
    
    He ended up shaking and quietly crying by the time he was entirely awake. He sat up in the bed, but found that Trevor and Tierno were still asleep. For a moment, it seemed fortunate since he'd be embarrassed to be caught waking up in tears. But then a powerful impulse cut through his mind, one that wanted to follow through on the dream and bring death into the waking world.
    
    Calem left the room to take a shower, trying to think of anything but what he'd just dreamed about. But that still led to a problem. Mortan wasn't back and he wasn't sure if he should go looking now. And those whispers clung to his mind; they wouldn't shut up until he killed. Or would they? Something had to stop them. He dug his fingernails into his scalp, even as he realized it was a futile gesture.
    
    When he got out of the shower and was getting dressed, there was a disruption to the whispers. What had caused that? He quickly put on the rest of his clothes and thought of that rune from the dream. Summon his higher senses without rain... he cast it and, just as the faceless man said, he became very aware of this hotel room, what was going on in the hall and the room the girls were staying in, what the conditions were outside. Most disturbing of all, Calem found information of how he could kill those nearby with what was in the room. But he wouldn't. He didn't want to.
    
    Don't think of that, he chided himself. What caused that disruption? He sensed a clash of power out in the hallway, Percival against... something. That was strange, since the Honedge never wanted to start fights. He was afraid of getting addicted to violence. Leaving the room, he saw that it was only Percival out there. He was in a battle-ready stance, the eyes on his hilt darting around trying to find whatever he was fighting. Seeing Calem come out, the red Honedge backed up towards him, reaching his consciousness out to Calem's mind. While it would have been frightening to come from any other Honedge, Calem nodded, knowing he was trying to communicate.
    
    You could kill that Pokemon by piercing its eye and tearing the sash, both actions not just one.
    
    “No,” Calem murmured.
    
    Right then, Percival stopped trying to connect and turned to fight. Red sparks flew off his blade and that disruption hit Calem again. The ringing metallic sounds he made seemed determined, like he would be gritting his teeth in the effort if he could. After a moment, the sparks seemed to envelope him in a white light. Was that an evolution glow?
    
    It was. Percival the Doublade emerged with two swords instead of one, still struggling against the connection between Calem and the faceless men. If he was going to that much effort, then Calem felt he should do something to help. But what? Before he could think of anything, Percival managed to win his struggle. His swords dropped in the air and he sounded like he was breathing heavily.
    
    Calem walked around Percival to look in him the eyes. “Percival, thank you. I don't know what that was, but it was terrifying.”
    
    Percival crooned, then finally managed to connect to him. 'Something tried to possess you in your sleep. I know not what it was either. It was scary, but, I had to do all I could to stop it. Sorry if I troubled you.'
    
    “You don't need to apologize,” he said, smiling and, after a moment in which Percival seemed okay with it, patted him on the sheath. “You did well.”
    
    'I think we should leave this place and not come back,' Percival said.
    
    “We have to figure out where Mortan went first. But yes, I think coming here was a bad idea.”
    
    

* * *

    
    About mid-morning, Calem met with his friends and all of their Pokemon in the middle of Geosenge. Those three stones were right there. By the light of the summer morning, they weren't nearly as strange as they'd been in his dream. There were a few other people in the area, some of them in the red suits Team Flare members wore when they were being active. “Anybody find him?” Calem asked his friends, although it didn't seem so.
    
    “I checked some gardens, but didn't see his flower anywhere,” Shauna said, worried too. “You sure you didn't lose him in the cave? It was a little confusing for a while.”
    
    “No, I know I saw him right as that earthquake happened,” Calem said.
    
    “Why don’t you use your rain ability to find him?” Trevor asked, glancing away from the stones. He was touching one, but it didn't seem to bother him at all. “At this rate, it might be the best way, plus there's clouds anyhow so people won't think it's strange.”
    
    Feeling a sense of dread, he said, “I know, but... something about this place makes me uneasy. Like what I might sense if there was rain.”
    
    “What is it, then?” Serena asked.
    
    “I don't know,” Calem said, not wanting to admit about feeling death like he had. They were having so much fun on this summer vacation that he didn't want to scare them in telling them what he might have done.
    
    “Hey kids, you should keep clear of this area,” one of the men there said. He wasn't wearing the red suit, but it looked suspiciously similar. Being a crisp white with fine red lines in places, it didn't seem like the kind of outfit one would normally wear to work outside in. “We're conducting an investigation here and we don't need the interference.”
    
    “Oh, is this the initiative into better historical sites and less tourist-centered commerce?” Serena asked. “Odd site to choose.”
    
    “How do you know about that?” he asked.
    
    “Learned about it through the Flare Club at LMA,” she said, although the rest of them didn't know about it.
    
    He nodded. “I see. Then yes, we're here for that. Geosenge isn't too bad, but the tourism sector has been showing more interest in this place. After all, no one knows why these stones are here and mysteries attract many. We're working to preserve and research the site, not break it down or fill it with trash.”
    
    “It'd be good enough if you could keep litter away, that's for sure,” Tierno said.
    
    Calem found himself looking at the stones in thought. In doing so, he noticed something sparkle at the top of the nearest one. “You don't know what these are for?”
    
    “There's lot's of theories,” the man said. “Someone tried to convince me that it was some kind of calender, but I had to ask, are we sure there's an exact number of stones to match the days? And then these three here out of alignment with the rest, which are in perfectly straight rows and columns, so there's some other reason behind them. Although, I’m not sure what would explain it. Possibly some ritual site, like a church I think.”
    
    They didn't know. But then why was he so certain that his dream had a kernel of truth? That it had something to do with death. Maybe just because it affected him so much. The sparkle caught his eye again. Normally he didn't think himself as obsessive, but it bugged him seeing it there, like having an itch on his back where he couldn't reach it. “If you're cleaning up stuff, what's that up there?”
    
    “Huh?” The others looked up and saw the sparkle too. “Didn't notice that before. Definitely doesn't belong there, so we should do something about it. Hey, who has the stepladder?” The man went over to the other Flare members.
    
    This included a woman who was also dressed differently... differently from the group and differently from anyone Calem had ever seen outside of cheesy sci-fi movies. She had a dress that gleamed like metal, skin tight around the torso but flared out in a perfect ring at the bottom hem. Not only that, but she has matching boots and a blue visor that completely covered her eyes. When one of the others fetched the sparkling item off the top of the stone and tossed it down, she caught it.
    
    A line of light swept across the visor as she looked at the item. “Looks like a charm bracelet, but I can't read what it's enchanted to do,” she said.
    
    Shauna laughed. “That's weird! How'd a charm bracelet get up there?”
    
    “You're right, how did it get up there just now?” the woman in the visor said, fiddling with something at the side of her device. “It... it wasn't there... fifteen minutes ago when I made the more recent recordings.” She looked at it again. “Hmm, I wonder...” she started to put it on her wrist.
    
    “Maybe someone's playing a prank?” Tierno suggested, right before there was a loud snap as the bracelet refused to attach to her and flew out of her hands.
    
    Followed by a second snap as it went right for Calem's left ankle and secured itself there. “Ow, what was that?” he asked, kneeling down to get a better look at it.
    
    “Picky,” the woman said, scanning him with her visor now.
    
    The bracelet, or anklet rather, was made of a slim silver chain. As it was on him, he couldn't see a way to take it off as it appeared to be one continuous string of tiny links. Three silver charms were attached to it: the first one he saw looked like a foot, then there was a dagger... and the third one which was more vague, but he recalled immediately from the Psionics class as being a cowl. Then, this was an anklet that was meant for him, one of three items in a set.
    
    “Oo, what is it?” Shauna asked, fascinated and leaning down to see it.
    
    Calem didn't answer, as he felt frozen with fright at recognition of something else. The faceless man he had met twice now had been wearing a cowl, both times using a dagger... he hadn't noticed an anklet, but this was so small that it could easily be missed. It had appeared because it was being given to him... as recognition of progress in a power that was meant to kill...
    
    Someone there was going to die, he realized. And it might not just be one. “Get away from those stones!” he shouted, getting back onto his feet.
    
    His friends and the Pokemon there took a few steps away, thankfully, more out of surprise than actual caution. The woman with the visor tilted her head as she walked closer to him. But the man in the white suit, pausing as he was coming down the ladder, he wasn't quick enough. There was little more than a gurgle as a dagger to his throat ended his life. When his body hit the ground, there was the faceless man standing inside the stones.
    
    “Similar powers resonate,” the faceless man said, pointing his bloodied dagger at Calem as the other Flare members scrambled to get away. Then a bolt of lightning blinded and deafened everyone. Despite that, Calem could still hear the faceless man speaking. “It's not quite enough to awaken what sleeps here. But if we give it enough blood, it just might come back to life.”
    
    And it was like he was dreaming again; there was no mist but the air was filled with an odd light that showed blood trickling down the stones. Blood saturated the ground too, as if a massacre had occurred here. The people who had been around, save for Calem and the faceless man, all seemed to be shadows of themselves. They were all reacting to the unexpected murder, in shock, horror, or in the case of the woman with the visor a strange detachment. Even stranger, a shadow seemed to fall out of Calem, as if his body had collapsed.
    
    “Welcome to the world of spirits,” the faceless man said. “Although you've been here before, it seems.”
    
    “What's going on?” Calem asked, fear moving his thoughts faster then caution, which tried to remind him of his father's warning not to trust this monster.
    
    He tossed his dagger at Calem, but not to hit him. Instead, it dropped to the ground with its handle closest. “I’m supposed to be teaching you of our legacy, especially since your cowardly father won't. But as you are, it's going to be nothing but a struggle. You need to lose your fear of death and take command of it instead.”
    
    “I’m not going to be killing anyone,” Calem said. But just as in his dream, he started to hear whispers from the other ones.
    
    With a small pop, Swift arrived, in full color rather than a shadowy form. She was soon followed by Percival, who had a hold on Nibbles, and Yorick, who had a hold of Starlet. “Calem, how'd you...?” the Frogadier started to ask, but then went tense as she realized he wasn't alone. “...get... here... again?”
    
    “This place looks so much more like a dump on this side,” Starlet said, her voice as snobby as he always thought she'd be. But even she seemed wary, making sure that her steel jaw was between the rest of her body and the faceless man.
    
    “How'd you get here?” Calem asked, trying to block out the whispers.
    
    The faceless man chuckled, causing a chill in all of them. “Ghosts of all sorts can always reach this side if they want, even bring others over alive if they dare. And your Swift here has a connection to darkness too, albeit not directly to death like us. She could be just as deadly, though. That is, once you start killing.”
    
    “Y-you're not supposed to listen to this one, remember?” Percival said. The Doublade struggled to be brave now that he could see his opponent.
    
    “We won't let you hurt Calem,” Swift said, lowering her stance and preparing to fight.
    
    “I have no intention of hurting him,” the faceless man said. Not having human expressions, it was hard to tell how much he meant that. “But it most likely will happen over the course of training. No, what you should be worried about is if Calem is going to let you live.” But it was possible to see him smirk, just slightly. “You followed him over here. That means you're capable of dying here. Calem, kill them.”
    
    “You're talking complete nonsense,” Starlet said. “He wouldn't kill us.”
    
    “Are you absolutely certain of that?” the faceless man asked, pointing to him.
    
    Calem was trying his hardest to deny that he would. He had no reason to kill off any Pokemon, much less his own. But he found that he couldn't speak. The whispers were clawing their way into his mind, stirring up that horrific impulse to kill again. He didn't want to kill... or did he? It felt so real, and strong, and the dagger was still right there within reach and he knew he could take out at least one of them before they could properly react... but he didn't want to do it. While Calem tried to convince himself of that, his body shook under the pressure of the struggle in his mind.
    
    “Calem, snap out of it,” Swift said. She believed in him. There was some doubt in the others... maybe even her as he failed to reply or do anything. Percival seemed to be trying to find that connection again, but this situation where he wasn't alone was making him panic.
    
    Then a fierce cry broke through Calem's mind, blocking out the whispers entirely. Powerful wings stirred the air and right as the faceless man shouted a curse, there was the thundering sound of a spell striking him down. Finding himself on his knees, Calem looked up to see that the faceless man was pinned beneath black thorns. There were two more Pokemon in this realm of spirits now. One was a figure so imposing that it could be nothing less than a god, the dark raptor of death Yveltal. The other was much smaller; Mortan descended down to join Calem's other Pokemon.
    
    “Boy, do you desire to cause death?” Yveltal said in a harsh tone that far exceeded the strictest teacher Calem had ever met.
    
    “No,” Calem said, his voice weak. That didn't feel good enough, so he spoke up, “No, I would never kill, except those voices..”
    
    “Then it's not your will that would drive you to kill,” Yveltal stated, toning down his strictness some. “You devoted Pokemon have nothing to fear from him. But you do need to fear the will that has tried to overtake his. I've only driven it off temporarily; it lies in his blood and has no source in me, so not even my divine power can free him.”
    
    “So he could still kill us?” Percival asked, quivering. “But we can't do anything about it because it's even beyond you?”
    
    “You can help if you have the bravery to stay with him in spite of the danger. This is a battle of wills, after all. Your bonds can strengthen his to fight better.”
    
    “But why am I fighting this will that wants me to kill even my friends?” Calem asked, calming a little from the struggle. “What is this all about? There's people who know, but they won't even tell me the name of those, those monsters.”
    
    Yveltal snorted. “Monsters? You're fighting the curse of your bloodline. You, descended from a deadly clan, a family without a homeland, a family that passed down the art of murder, assassins who were feared as little was known about them but their mastery, humans who have killed gods and innocents alike... you were born an Asari even as the name was not bestowed on you. Should you take the life of another, any other, the black markings of the curse will appear on you. If you die marked as such, you will become one of the Asari monsters, just like this one.”
    
    “That's my family legacy?” Calem asked, feeling like his blood had turned cold. He didn't want to believe it. But, he felt certain that it was the truth. It would be why his father didn't want to talk about it.
    
    “It is,” the god said. “You are a monster just as much as they are, just not awakened to that power. And yet, you are also a human as much as any of them once were. It is passed from father to son relentlessly. Many generations before you have struggled with this because somewhere far back in the Asari line, there is one whose hatred and cruelty became so powerful that it still overcomes his descendants. It is his will, in the end, that consumes the will of others and will try to consume yours. It is a will so powerful that it even influences my servants.”
    
    “I didn't realize it until yesterday,” Mortan said, bashfully hiding behind his flower.
    
    “Shush,” Yveltal said, but with a gentleness that was almost fatherly. “The moment is past; we must deal with the results. Now Calem, I am not all-knowing, nor all-powerful. I know I am vulnerable to the power of the Asari, even if I know not how they took down other gods. But what I know of your situation tells me that as you have found the Asari anklet and one rune, it would be best if you learn about your family's history and abilities. It will give you better grounds to fight the Asari will. And yet in order to learn, you will have to fight the Asari will over and over again, so that you do not kill and get lost to it.”
    
    “His father wouldn't teach him,” Swift said. “I thought it was nonsense then and it seems worse now to choose ignorance.”
    
    “Ignorance would work if he still knew nothing at all about it,” Yveltal said. “But not now.”
    
    “What do you know about my family?” Calem said.
    
    “Hmph. It may be better for you to learn some things elsewhere. I can tell you about the last Asari I dealt with. Heinrich was once an ordinary boy like you, born in another land. But then he learned that his bloodline was cursed, that the Asari will would drive him to kill someone he loved to break his will, or it would trick him into passing the curse onto his son so they could focus on him until he came to kill his father for choosing what they saw as cowardice. Heinrich decided he wanted none of that and opted to kill himself.
    
    “That backfired entirely. He was still taking a life but the curse of the Asari bloodline would not let him die until it could fully claim him. Not only did he survive the attempt, but he was driven insane by it, killing off his family and neighbors before regional authorities captured him. But their land was at war with ours, so they chained him up and brought him here, only letting him loose to kill their enemies here.
    
    “It would have been the end for anyone else, their mind crushed to nothing more than a psychotic killer who viewed the world through a broken will. But when I met him, he was remarkably stable and partially in control of himself. By using his connection to death, he tracked me down as I was beginning to awaken to the war around me and made sure that I stayed asleep. All he asked for in return was the willpower to keep himself from killing anymore, so that he did not end up killing a young woman he was in love with. I told him that if he could keep me asleep when war claimed so much death, then he could keep himself from killing long enough to give himself up to my land's authorities for execution.
    
    “And that's what he did. Unfortunately, the Asari will was strong enough to protect his unborn child from my notice, so my chance to end the line entirely was missed. And yet... it has come to my notice that his child did not join the Asari upon his death. There are those who escape this curse, even if it forces them to continue it. Isn't that right, Heinrich?”
    
    At this point, Calem realized that the faceless man, the Asari, had managed to escape the thorns that Yveltal had trapped him in. Even without a proper face, he could tell that his demeanor had changed. Heinrich Asari looked at them silently for a moment, then vanished. For some reason, he was going to leave them be.
    
    It caused Calem to realize something. “Wait, that's... my great-grandfather?” He found it hard to connect Gran, such a lively and loving person, to this creature that had been so ruthless around him. But the stories matched up far too well.
    
    “Yes, and he is a good example of how powerful the Asari will can be on both sides,” Yveltal said. “He may be your enemy, but he can be your ally at the same time. I hope this information will be valuable to you. But I should not linger near you too long. Similar powers can resonate; death can awaken death, which I don't want to happen at this time. Mortan, continue to follow Calem for the time being.”
    
    “Is that all right?” Mortan asked.
    
    “I know better than to leave any Asari unwatched in my land once I know he's there, especially when he's still unmarked by the curse. And now that you're aware of their will, I believe you are capable of knowing when it's focusing on him again. I trust your judgment for now. Good luck, to all of you, but especially Calem Asari.” Then Yveltal left, simultaneously sending them all out of the realm of spirits.
    
    It was not as simple as coming over had been, as Calem found himself lying on the ground. The blue-haired woman with the visor was kneeling by him. “Ah, here he comes around,” she said. “I told you it probably wasn't permanent.”
    
    “Calem, what happened to you?” Shauna asked.
    
    Before he could say that he wasn't entirely sure, more of what to tell them than what that was all about, the woman said, “Be patient. I hear that unless you're used to such out of body experiences, it's not easy to find your orientation once back in a physical body. Could one of you get him a soda or coffee, or something to make him more alert.”
    
    “I’ll go do that,” Serena said, going off to find somewhere to buy a drink.
    
    “I think we should get away from those stones,” Calem said, his voice coming out weaker than he expect. “It's... messing with them could turn out bad, I think.”
    
    “I wouldn't give such a judgment now,” the woman said. “But given this unusual occurrence, I agree that reanalysis of gathered data is the wisest course for this day. Also, I’d like to ask you some questions about what you experienced once we've taken care of our loss. I believe you know something important to us.”
    
    It wasn't just her that wanted to ask him questions. The police were already there too, starting to close off the area to figure out what had just happened. Fortunately, once he told them that his experience after the freak lightning bolt was nightmarish, the police officer didn't question him further. Calem thought that was peculiar. Certainly if he hadn't been through it, he would have wanted to know about the person that the faceless man had pointed at and forced into the realm of spirits. The others had seen him, but apparently they hadn't understood him like Calem had.
    
    “Maybe we should check out of town for now and do something more fun to get your mind off that,” Shauna said once the officer was leaving them.
    
    “Yeah, it's probably better to forget about it, like any bad dream,” Trevor said.
    
    Forget? There were parts he'd like to forget but he knew he wouldn't be able to, no matter what he tried. “I don't know if it'd be that easy,” he said.
    
    “But hey, at least Mortan came back,” Shauna said.
    
    “Eellii,” Mortan said in a tone of concern. Since he'd been around Trevor's Floette Coco enough, he was better at pretending normalcy.
    
    “He must've been worried too,” she said.
    
    However, there was one person who didn't let him go with just that explanation: the Flare woman with the visor. Her name, he found out, was Mable. When he told her that the experience was nightmarish and he didn't want to talk about it, she gave him a long hard look. At least, it seemed that way. It was hard to tell with that visor covering a third of her face.
    
    “Yeah, so we'll just be leaving town now,” Serena said firmly, trying to get her to listen.
    
    “No, I would like an explanation of certain abnormalities I’ve recorded,” Mable said. “For instance, at this very moment, there is a force that originates with none of us that is trying to keep us from discussing what Calem saw on the other side. It's quite potent; if my computer did not detect it, I would have fallen for it myself. Another reason I wish to know is that while I was observing you, you showed signs of being in contact with a divine being. If it is connected to this site, I need to know about it for our research into this place's mysteries.”
    
    “Maybe it's just common courtesy that we don't want to make him talk about whatever was clearly bad over there?” Serena said, annoyed that the scientist was pushing the issue when the police hadn't.
    
    “Or the divine being might not want him to talk, if they agreed to something,” Trevor pointed out.
    
    “No, it's another force altogether,” she said. “These numbers don't lie.”
    
    In hearing their discussion and having some time to cool down (and some coffee to clear his head), Calem had figured out what to say in case of this. “Maybe they don't, but I don't want to tell anyone else about what happened until I can talk with my parents about it. It's a personal problem and I don't want to go into it right now with people I don't know.” Or people that could very well have died today. “And really, don't mess around with this place too much. The stones can stay and look impressive, sure, but doing anything more than that with them will only bring you grief.”
    
    “That statement will be taken under consideration,” Mable said, then agreed to let them go for the time being.
    
    When they had got past the field of monoliths to the town of Cyllage, Calem asked to be alone to use his holocaster to call his father. He half-expected him to get angry again, but he told him about all that had happened, even the pushes to kill. Because based on what Yveltal said, he would have dealt with the same pressure.
    
    But Shawn didn't get angry. Instead, he was worried, putting his hand to his cheek and trying to think of some way out of this. “I see. Yes, we are of the Asari family, but Gran made sure to give us her surname instead. Not that it could change things, but she tried.”
    
    “Then what else do you know?” Calem asked. “Yveltal seems to think it's more dangerous to avoid knowing now.”
    
    He bit his lip, then looked down. “Calem... the problem is, you know more than I do now. My grandfather died before my father was born and we're not sure how much he told Gran. And, my father... well, when I was first pushed by the Asari will, he believed he could do something to stop it and left home one day. I missed him a lot and their presence was powerful, but I resisted because of what he'd told me. Then a couple months later, we got word that he'd died in Kalos. The thing is, I already knew because I'd seen his death, like that dream you had last night. One of the Asari spirits murdered him. Whatever he was trying to do to stop them, they didn't let up on me. At least, not until I met Mary and ended up marrying her.”
    
    “He didn't join the Asari spirits, though,” Calem told him. Still, hearing this made him feel sick.
    
    “That's good to know,” Shawn said, relieved. “And... don't take this the wrong way, but we never planned on having children, not with knowing what would happen. We took measures not to, and you can guess how well that went. So I don't really know what to do now. Except, I don't want to leave you alone to face this like I had to.”
    
    For a moment, he felt a strong anger that his father was so incompetent about this. Mortan drifted into the holocaster's field, looking concerned. “Niii,” he said, tapping his head.
    
    Then he could detect the Asari will now, which really wanted him to hate his dad. “Um, dad?” He was having some trouble looking at the holocaster camera, but he made himself. “I... I appreciate that, but I don't think I should come back home right now. They want to punish you for failing to teach me like they wanted; they want me to kill you.”
    
    Shawn was quiet, then rubbed his eyes. Was he crying? “I see. Yes, that's probably for the best. We'll need to talk to your teacher sometime before school starts; he might be able to help. Calem, your mother and I love you greatly. If I could do anything to get them disconnected to you, I would. I just don't know what to do now. Oh, but... I suppose I should send that to you.”
    
    “Send what?” Calem asked, his throat tense as he tried not to be crying either.
    
    “The cowl. I've never seen the anklet myself, but you have it. The cowl somehow got mailed to your grandfather when he was your age. At least, we think it's the cowl as it's in a locked box that neither of us have been able to open; the Asari spirits seem to be saying that it is. There's one more item, some kind of weapon.”
    
    “A dagger,” he reminded him.
    
    Shaun nodded. “Right, the dagger. The last letter I got from your grandfather was about it. He said that his father, Heinrich Asari, did not have a grave. However, he was memorialized somewhere in Kalos and the dagger was located there. Even being here, I'm not sure where he meant. But you've traveled around Kalos, so you might have a better idea of where.”
    
    “Not really, but I know some people I could ask,” Calem said. “I'm sorry. I don't want to do this, but more than that, I don't want to end up killing you both. I don't want to kill anyone.”
    
    “I know. But it can be beaten. Be strong, Calem. And it's not like you'll never hear from us again. We'll keep in contact.”
    
    “Thank you, Dad.” While he did feel conflicted over how he'd not told him any of this until he'd run into the Asari himself, Calem felt it was more important to remember that he loved them. Dwelling too long on the anger would only lead him to doing something unforgivable.


	15. The Phenomenon of Mega Evolution

    _School really changed for me in my fourth year. For one thing, the classes all became quite demanding. I couldn't volunteer as much as I had been and homework got a great deal more involved. Some of that was fun, especially the homeroom research project Professor Sycamore gave us. But other things, like practicing my spell for heightened senses for Psionics and writing lengthy papers for history class, those could feel like drudgery at times._
    
    _But more importantly, I knew more about who I really was. Because my parents had spoken with Sycamore, the school knew about me too. That completely changed their attitude about me. After all, I was now a dangerous student, even more so than Trevor. But like with my friend, the staff sought to assist me keep things under control rather than treat me like a monster. It made things difficult at times, but it's assistance that I’m still grateful for._
    
     On a request from Sycamore, Calem came back to school a day early, when the first year students were in their orientation day. His teacher brought him to a building that he'd never been inside, the administration building where the business of keeping the school running in an orderly fashion was held. The detention hall was also inside, but he hadn't gotten in enough trouble to be sent there yet. However, Sycamore brought him in to meet with the school principal, the woman who was in charge of everything.
    
    Calem had seen Ms. Silvane at major school events, even spoken to her a time or two as she had a reputation for being friendly as long as one was a well-behaved student. But he didn't really know her, so he wasn't sure how this would turn out. Her office was quite interesting, with several large wooden carvings of various Pokemon all around the room. On the back wall, there was a bookcase which he recognized as one that was linked into the library; one could leave a note on its shelves and the library staff would use the bookshelves to teleport a requested book or resource to its requester. Several books were held there, as well as a pair of statues of a Tauros and Miltank. Beside the magic bookcase, there was a metal file cabinet and some computer equipment.
    
    The office wasn't dim, thankfully. A large window overlooked the park in the center of campus as well as other school buildings. The curtains were rolled back, so nothing obstructed the view or the sunlight. The principal's desk was large, with a few more carvings but also a computer and various files of her work that was already going on despite most of the students not being back. Ms. Silvane was a dark-skinned woman with her gray hair kept back in a neat braid. Smiling at them entering, she wore a colorful jacket with thin stripes of many hues, along with orange pants, a white shirt, and a necklace that had a carving of some Pokemon unfamiliar to Calem.
    
    “Hello, Augustine, good to see you made it on time,” she teased him a little as she gestured for them to take the seats on the other side of her desk. “You've been so wrapped up in your work this summer.”
    
    “I'm on a roll again, what can I say?” he said, taking it in good stride.
    
    She chuckled. “Right, I should expect so much after last time. And Calem, good to see you. I'm afraid that we need to discuss something grave this time, though, about your family. How are you doing lately?”
    
    “I'm still overwhelmed by it all myself,” he said. Knowing he could be a killer made him nervous to talk to other people in the two weeks since he'd learned about the Asari. “I always feel like I’m being watched, but I haven't experienced something like in Genosage again yet.”
    
    Sycamore put a hand on his shoulder. “I'm sure anybody would be anxious after learning of that. But don't worry about us; we're going to help you through it as best we can.”
    
    “Thanks,” Calem said, smiling a little. It could be much worse, he thought.
    
    Silvane nodded. “Absolutely. I've had some people look for information on the Asari, to help us out. However, that's run into some problems in that there are very few facts out there about them. We came up with a few writings from survivors of their attacks, as well as lots of legends that may or may not involve an Asari assassin. Your family's kept its secret well.”
    
    “Some of it might have just been lost between generations that couldn’t talk to each other, like with what happened to my father and his grandfather,” Calem said.
    
    Sycamore put a hand to his chin. “Speaking of the latter, I did some searching too and the best resource I could find was about him, I believe. Heinrich Asari, the rain assassin from the Great War, right?” When Calem nodded, he explained that, “There are government documents that myself and an associate could uncover from our region, his home region, and the region he was apparently born in. We haven't gone much further, but it seems possible that through birth, marriage, and death certificates, we might be able to fill in your family tree. But it's going to take a lot of time and probably more trouble than usual. I mean, just within four generations from Heinrich to you, your family's moved through seven regions and two continents.”
    
    “I don't know if it's a part of the family curse or a result of it, but we were called a family without a homeland,” Calem said.
    
    “Were you able to get those documents or just confirm their existence?” Silvane asked.
    
    The professor shook his head. “Just confirmed their existence and a bit of their contents so far. The documents from the Great War aren't fully public yet and trying to get information on him from either region is like pulling teeth. I did ask Shawn to request them. Since he's a descendant, he should have an easier time getting them for us.”
    
    She nodded. “All right, we'll just need to be patient.” She then looked to Calem. “We heard things from your father, but what can you tell us about the Asari, Calem?”
    
    He started to speak, but then felt a great hesitation to actually say anything. It was fine talking to his father, but not outsiders... was that his hesitation or their restraint? “I'm not sure how long I can talk about it. Um... they can.... interfere with my thoughts some, but they can't force me to do anything at the moment because I'm unmarked. The will of my ancestors does make it hard for me to do things they don't want me to do. Heinrich's spirit is supposed to be teaching me about the full extent of my power, but I haven't seen him since Genosage and that was only the second... no third time I'd encountered him.” The dream counted, he knew, because that was his spirit contacting him directly.
    
    “Has he shown up on campus?” Silvane asked.
    
    He shook his head. “No, not yet. But he can reach my dreams.”
    
    “I've wondered if it might be difficult for him to appear here,” she said. “Teaching magic can be quite dangerous. I’m sure you've seen accidents in classes already and those are only going to increase as you go along; fourth year and fifth year students are the ones we see most often in the infirmary as you start to get into more powerful spells and methods. Because of that, schools like ours have a lot of protective barriers in place, including those against hostile spirits. The Asari spirits might not be able to come onto campus as a result, but I can't guarantee anything about that.”
    
    “Do you think I should try to contact him?” Calem asked, as something he'd wondered himself.
    
    “I'd rather you not do so unsupervised,” the principal said. “Then again, it could be dangerous for the one supervising if the Asari spirits will kill someone simply for being near you.”
    
    “It was more than that,” he said. “I think it was a demonstration. I saw things in Genosage, and, well, there's a powerful force of death sleeping there. It reacted both when I entered town and when that man was killed. But yes, there is that chance that things will get deadly around them.”
    
    “In the end, we don't know how much control we can have in this situation,” Sycamore admitted. “If you can, we'd like you to keep me informed on your contact with the Asari spirits. We definitely need to know as much as we can to help you.”
    
    “I'll try,” he promised.
    
    Silvane nodded. “Good. Well then, one big thing we need to discuss is something I don't like. But just as you have to take unfortunate precautions to keep your family safe, we need to take similar precautions with you around the other students. You're still free to attend classes and spend your free time with other students, but as it is, we need to move you out of your dorm room. Especially if they can contact you in dreams; the time when you are asleep will be a vulnerable time for you when you can't fully comprehend your actions.”
    
    They moved him out of the boys' dormitory entirely. Instead, he would be sleeping in a hidden room underneath one of the classroom buildings. It was even behind a hidden door, a secret dorm hallway of twelve similar rooms. The sole window in each room was right up next to the ceiling, barely at ground level. Each one was about as large as the room he had been sharing with Tierno and Trevor, with a closet and small bathroom inside it. On the opposite wall of the one they entered, there was even a small refrigerator, microwave, a pantry closet, a computer, a holocaster, and the library bookcase. But looking at the thick heavy door, it was soon apparent why this room seemed nicer: it could be locked down completely so that he couldn't get out unless someone let him.
    
    Sycamore was the one who brought him there, once their meeting with Ms. Silvane was over. “I never like having to use these dorms, but sometimes it's all we can do,” he said, snapping his fingers to call up the items Calem needed to move in here. “You're allowed to decorate this room however you like. We can even call in someone to paint the walls. However, while you're living here, school officials can order you to be locked in if it's felt as necessary. You can request that yourself for a night if you really want.”
    
    “I understand,” he said, putting down the things that he had carried here. After all, his ancestors wanted him to kill others. He might actually be able to sleep easier if he knew that he couldn't get out of the room when they bothered him.
    
    “That's good. Well, you don't have any neighbors now. Trevor nearly ended up being here when he first arrived, but I talked the school council into giving him a chance. Once school starts tomorrow, your school badge won't allow you into either of the regular dorms and will alert us if you're not here after curfew. If you don’t want to tell others you're here, just say that your badge isn't working right and you're staying elsewhere. It's what the school staff will be saying.”
    
    “Good enough,” Calem said, but he was looking over the box he had brought in here himself. It had been in the package that he'd gotten from his parents just this morning.
    
    “That box has pretty good security on it too,” Sycamore noted.
    
    The statement caught him off-guard. “Hmm? Oh yeah, this. It's supposed to have the Asari cowl in it, but my father and grandfather couldn't get it to open. I looked at it and I'm not sure how to get it open either. I suppose it'll come in time.”
    
    He nodded, then sat down on the bed beside him. “Hey, don't go losing your spirit. You're going to want to be as rebellious as possible to this crazy family of yours, right?”
    
    Hearing it put that way, Calem did end up laughing a little. “I guess so. Not that I've been good at being a rebel.”
    
    “It's the strength of any teenager, you'll figure it out,” Sycamore said jokingly. Then he gripped Calem's shoulder. “You know where the Pokemon lab is, right? I've over there most of the time now, even gave up my usual set of classes this year to focus on research. But I decided to stick around for you kids in my homeroom, cause I like all of you. Any time you want, you just come by the lab and see if I'm in, if you need to talk about anything. Literally, anything, I'll make time for it.”
    
    “Thanks, professor,” Calem said, nodding.
    
    

* * *

    
    _As for the homeroom project, Professor Sycamore announced it the first day of class that year. He even took us out of the classroom and brought along a pair of familiar faces to do so._
    
     “This art gallery is a lovely place,” Sycamore said as they entered the lobby of the Lumiose museum of art. “If you haven't yet, you really should take the time to visit and observe what they have on display. But we have to get back to class in time, so today we're going to see one special piece of art. It shows off an intriguing mystery that has been in Lumiose culture for centuries.”
    
    Also with the group was the professor's lab assistants, Sina and Dexio. “Your student passes are good for free admission all week, so be sure to take advantage of that,” Sina said.
    
    For being an art museum, the building didn't look that fancy to Calem. The walls were a flat almost black and the floor and ceiling were a flat ashy gray. Then again, such simplicity allowed the artworks on display to really stand out. Spotlights gave the pieces extra drama so that the simple surroundings blurred out of notice. Maps showed that this place was large. Fortunately, the piece Sycamore wanted them to see was in a side area of the first floor.
    
    It appeared to be an old painting; a master's touch gave the image such vibrancy and texture that it seemed like those depicted could spring back to life at any moment. It appeared to be a battle of war, a clash on a beach littered with bones and other debris. On one side, there was a human wearing such huge armor that it was difficult to tell anything about him or her; the main indication that it was even human was the basic shape and a bit of the mouth and chin that appeared behind a screened part of the armor. A rough-looking Tauros that wore a spiked harness was there, snorting and stamping its hoof in the sand. On the other side, there was a woman who was dressed in priestly attire, with far less armor to her. At her side, there was a Lucario clenching its fist and preparing to defend her.
    
    “Now this painting has a few interesting details in it,” Sycamore said, standing beside the painting. “What do you notice?”
    
    “Why does the Tauros have spiky straps on it?” Shauna asked. “Looks like a Gogoat's saddle, but you'd have to be crazy to ride a Tauros like that. They get pretty mean.”
    
    “That is war armor that used to be used on some Pokemon like Tauros,” their teacher said. “It didn't offer protection quite like the suit of armor, but it made their physical attacks more dangerous.”
    
    “Did they really use armor like that in the old days?” one of the other boys in class asked.
    
    “Yes, the armors here are authentic. Maybe not exactly as they were, but this artist did paint real things. What else?”
    
    Calem saw Serena mutter something and cross her arms over her chest. Did she know something already? He wondered about that. She got this exasperated look when people made mistakes and she knew the right answer. However, she usually didn't speak up about it unless the mistake could cause a problem, or until afterward when she could explain why everyone else was wrong.
    
    Whatever she knew, she paid attention again when Trevor raised his hand and said, “Um, if the artist painted what was real... this Lucario isn't quite right. The um,” he pulled at his hair trying to mimic something, “the long ears it has, there's four lengths instead of two. And it has spikes where a Lucario doesn't usually have spikes.”
    
    Sycamore grinned, so they must be on the right track. “Yes, the Lucario depicted here is not a normal Lucario. This is, in fact, a depiction of a Mega Lucario, not a regular Lucario.”
    
    “Mega Lucario?” Trevor asked among the gasps and whispers from their classmates. “What's that?”
    
    “Well it's something we don't entirely know about,” Sycamore explained. “But like in this painting and several legends in Kalos, it does exist. What happens is that, under special circumstances, a Pokemon that should not be capable of further evolution can bring themselves into a more powerful state, as if they had evolved. It's only temporary, however, as a Mega Pokemon will appear in a battle and return back to its normal form when the battle ends.”
    
    “How do you get an evolution like that to happen only temporarily?” a girl asked.
    
    Sycamore shrugged. “I don't know myself... but that is something that I've been studying for a few years now. You see, there is a group in Kalos that has, for many generations, kept the secret of mega evolution to themselves. They would not explain why, but recently, current members of the group have changed their mind. They're actually looking for a new apprentice in their fighting style to take in, and they agreed to allow me to make some observations and run some tests on mega evolutions to find out more of why they happen. And since you're in my class, all of you have a chance at being picked as the new mega evolution apprentice, and as one of my research assistants.”
    
    “Really?!” Shauna asked, excited with the rest. “Great!”
    
    “Really and honestly,” Sycamore said, pleased by their enthusiasm. “But the thing is, only one of you can be accepted. It will become clear why later on. In order to pass such screening, you as a class need to discover more about Mega Evolution on your own. I'll assist you some and give you some clues when it seems everyone's stuck, but during this year of homeroom, you'll need to learn how to research such information as well. Find out all that you can, and this painting is our starting point. Anything else you can see?”
    
    If she did know anything, Serena continued to be silent on the matter. Meanwhile, Tierno said, “Well the priestess has a spell effect near her hand, so maybe she has something to do with her partner's mega evolution? Or she could just be fighting with it.”
    
    “Might be,” Sycamore said, declining on saying yes or no.
    
    “It takes place at the beaches of Shalour,” Calem said in the following quiet while the rest tried to figure out things.
    
    “That's quite a specific observation,” Sycamore said. “What makes you say that?”
    
    He pointed to the sign that was next to the painting. “Because the title of the painting is 'Super Showdown on Shalour Sands'. Also, it was painted by Francine Luella, and... it's being borrowed from Owain de Kalos? Isn't he the owner of Parfum Palace?”
    
    “That's right,” Serena said, putting a hand to her cheek to consider something.
    
    “Yes, I hear he lends a number of the art works he owns to the museum for public display,” Sycamore said.
    
    “Parfum Palace does have a respectably large library of old manuscripts,” Serena added. “All from Kalos authors or about Kalos. So if there's a group in Kalos that holds the secret to mega evolution, there might be information about them in the library at Parfum Palace.”
    
    “That's an interesting suggestion,” Sycamore said. “I've seen the library myself, and yes, it does have the largest collection of Kalos-centered literature.”
    
    “Ooo, could we go there and look for information?” Shauna asked. “It's a cool place!”
    
    Their teacher scratched his head. “Hmm, I do like the sound of that, maybe taking a weekend trip for those who want to. Trouble is, it could cost for more than our homeroom budget allows, what with other things and trips we'll need to be making on this research.”
    
    “We could always do a homeroom fundraiser for it,” Calem suggested.
    
    “Well let's try looking in the school library and some other libraries first,” Sycamore said. “And if we decide later on that the Parfum Palace library is still a good lead, we'll hold a fundraiser to make sure we can make it.”
    
    

* * *

    
    _Another thing that happened that first week of school, which marked yet another change happening around me, was on the second day when I got an invitation to Lysandre's cafe. He wanted to speak with me again. But this time, he didn't just seem like a threat. He was one._
    
     “I don't like this now,” Mortan said quietly as they stepped into the red cafe.
    
    Calem nodded in agreement. The street outside was bustling as usual. However, this cafe was still, without any customers inside. The curtains were drawn shut and the door held a 'Closed' sign, along with another apologizing for a day of equipment maintenance. The invitation had said to ignore the signs. And, the cafe itself seemed to be ignoring the sign too, as its equipment was still intact without any work being done on it. The only people inside were Lysandre and the blue-haired woman from Geosenge, Mable.
    
    “Would you close the door please?” Lysandre asked. “We don't want people coming in on our discussions.”
    
    “Sure,” Calem said, closing it although he was already uneasy about this. From the note, it seemed like they were just discussing things related to his scholarship.
    
    “I will be recording and monitoring this conversation,” Mable said. “I was last time, but this time you should know.”
    
    “What are you doing that for?” Calem asked, joining them at their table.
    
    “If that force interferes again,” she said.
    
    Maybe they knew it would. Or they could already notice it. Calem certainly could. Every time he left the school's area, his feeling of being watched by his ancestors would increase. The school's magic fields interfered with them that much, at least. “I still don't want to talk about it,” he said.
    
    “Whether you want to or not, we need to discuss what happened in Geosenge,” Lysandre said, his tone making it clear that he wasn't going to accept no for an answer. “We lost a good man there to a spirit that we can find little information on. Who was it?”
    
    Calem felt the Asari will restraining him, and this time he felt it was better to go along with them. “I can't really discuss that, sir.” As he said that, his heightened senses activated without input from himself. They also did something else that he could sense but wasn't sure what they had done; whatever it was, they also perceived Lysandre as a threat and were going to protect him.
    
    What he sensed now gave him a lot of interesting information. Lysandre was indeed powerful, but much of what he'd felt before was a passive factor much like an intimidation ability in some Pokemon. He invoked it intentionally with some runes tattooed onto his shoulder, where they'd normally be hidden underneath clothing. When it came to actual potential, Calem felt that Korrina would be more powerful in magic than Lysandre. Then there was Mable, who was using her visor in a way that mimicked the heightened senses spell Calem had. She didn't have magic as developed as her boss, but there was a factor in her aura that was similar to something he'd sensed in Sycamore. Scientific training, perhaps? Could that even leave a mark? There were other things too, like how there was a hidden doorway on the back wall of the cafe. Or how in levels below this one, there seemed to be an awful lot of machinery. He couldn't tell what exactly while he was on ground level.
    
    Mabel shifted her visor as she looked at Calem. “What did you just do?” she asked.
    
    “I’ve just been talking,” he said, which was true.
    
    “What is it?” Lysandre asked, glancing at Mable.
    
    “Maybe it wasn't you, but something,” she said as a line bounced between the visor lenses. Mable actually took the visor off for a moment, revealing pale blue eyes briefly before she slipped it back on. “He's not being detected by my equipment, except through visual and audio. When he came in, his aura level was at such a low point that I had to wonder how he manages at LMA. But now he blends into the environmental aura of the cafe flawlessly.”
    
    “How do you do that?” Lysandre asked, looking back to him.
    
    Calem shrugged, briefly displacing Mortan. The Floette seemed to decide to stick close to him despite that. “I know it happens occasionally, but I don't know how or why.”
    
    “Does it have something to do with the other force that has interfered before?”
    
    “Maybe.”
    
    “Then what was the spirit at Genosage doing?”
    
    “I can't say.”
    
    Lysandre narrowed his eyes at him. “Calem, this is very important; we need to know what went on in Geosenge that day. Why there was a bolt of lightning after our man was killed there, who that spirit was, why there was an earthquake at the moment you and your friends walked into town... it's vital to our studies.”
    
    “And I really can't tell you much about it,” Calem said, feeling bolder than normal. For once, it felt good for his ancestors to be watching out for him as they did. He knew, without a doubt, that they could get him out of the cafe if this turned bad. Although they'd first try to get him to kill, but he'd have to deal with that as it happened. “And why I can't say anything does have to do with what tried to keep us from talking at Geosenge. That spirit won't let me talk.”
    
    “Is this spirit one of your ancestors?” Mable asked. “Because that would account for how protective they're being, how that anklet got there suddenly, and why you have the same near non-existent aura profile as the spirit did.”
    
    He closed his eyes for a moment. Should he keep quiet? A mental prodding told him no. “Yes, that's it,” Calem said. “And you will be eliminated with great severity if you lay a hand on this child, whether we have to make him do it or we move from the shadows.“
    
    “Very subtle,” Mable said.
    
    “Not really,” Lysandre said.
    
    She shook her head. “No, their magic is. It's like picking out a piece of fishing line even when you can see them partly possessing him. Go on.”
    
    “What did you see in the realm of spirits?” Lysandre asked.
    
    Not feeling resistance on that, he answered, “Lots of blood. That's why I said you shouldn't mess with it; it could be a dangerous place.”
    
    Oddly, that answer seemed to satisfy him. “Is there a god dwelling there? The one you met with?”
    
    “No,” he said.
    
    “Who did you meet with?”
    
    Small aura signs told him that they already knew the answer, so he went ahead and said, “Yveltal. He didn't want to stay long.”
    
    “Do you think you can find Yveltal again now that you've come in contact with him?”
    
    At this question, Mortan patted Calem's neck. A warning not to agree to it? Not that he would. “I wouldn't want to,” Calem said. “He seems like a god one wouldn't want to disturb.”
    
    “But could you?” Lysandre asked. When Calem refused to say anything to that, he changed the subject again. “Why did the school put you in the high security dorms for dangerous students?”
    
    “How do you know about that?” Calem asked back. He hadn't even told his friends why he'd been moved out of the boys' dorm yet. He meant to, probably some weekend they could all meet up on.
    
    “I'm one of their strongest financial supporters, from scholarship students like you to extra funds for renovating their buildings for modern technology. I can access a lot of school information that the average person couldn't. Although not why you were reassigned.”
    
    “I can't say,” he replied, because that would mean telling him about the Asari. It was hard enough talking to the school staff and that was on school grounds where the native magic interfered. “But I will get in more trouble if I'm off school property around curfew time.” It wasn't near the nightly curfew since it was still late afternoon, but it seemed like an effective warning that school officials would look into things quickly if he wasn't accounted for.
    
    Lysandre tried to ask more questions, some simply reworded versions of those he had refused to answer. He even made an offer to trade for Mortan, which Calem also refused. At least they let him go after close to two hours of the interview. It still wasn't clear what Lysandre was up to with Team Flare, but since it seemed to be something to do with Yveltal, Calem felt that it wouldn't be anything good.


	16. Rainy Days

    “Okay, so the story talks about two sisters who got into an argument over who would learn about mega evolution,” Shauna said, her book left open to the story they had found in the library. “And then another girl got picked over them because the argument showed neither was suitable for the role. Does that mean there's something limited about the process? Because that seems to be why they were arguing.”
    
    “It could just be a reason to fight,” Teirno said. Their desks were in a circle by one of the windows to work on their research, with two other groups in their homeroom gathered elsewhere in the room. “Because some people are like that.”
    
    “It could be that,” Trevor said. “But, I still think there's something that limits who can learn it. After all, didn't the professor say that only one of us would undergo the training? He's a fair person, so I don't think he'd limit it to that kind of opportunity unless there was no other way.”
    
    “It's limited all right,” Serena said, apparently doing homework for another class instead of fully paying attention to the research. She did that a lot.
    
    “I guess,” Teirno said. “What do you think, Calem?”
    
    “Hmm?” He'd been looking out the window at the darkened sky. Water droplets pattered against the window lightly and sometimes, he felt like someone was calling his name from outside. “Oh, sorry, I got distracted.”
    
    “You okay?” Shauna asked, worried. “You were like this the other day too, when it was all rainy. I thought it made you really alert.”
    
    Calem rubbed his head. “Ah, well, once I learned how to trigger that state of mind without rain, the rain doesn't always cause it. I just...” he wasn't sure he should go look for who was calling him, because he had suspicions on who it was and he wasn't sure he should be alone for that. “Not sure, really.”
    
    

* * *

    
    _That fall and winter were both quite rainy around Lumiose, even leading to flooding in a few areas. It was a natural increase. But because of it, there were many days when the Asari tried to reach me, to continue my training under them. I found it harder to pay attention in class on such rainy days, forcing me to scramble to borrow notes or otherwise read up on what I'd missed so I didn't fall behind. I tried to ignore them, hoping there would come a time when I didn't have to go meet with my great-grandfather on my own._
    
    _Eventually, the pressure got to me and I felt like I couldn't safely ignore him any longer._
    
     Imagine how quieter it would be if they were all dead.
    
    Calem startled himself into full awareness at the thought. Had he fallen asleep? He glanced around the room, but his classmates were busy with schoolwork, a few discussing other classes and projects. The rain fell steadily outside; it was supposed to rain most days this week. Listening to it had become a bit of a drone in his head, lulling him into at least daydreaming. Well whether he'd been asleep or not, it had been enough for a clear thought to come through.
    
    He's going to get mad if I keep doing this, Calem thought. He closed up his notebook to set it inside his desk, then got up to go speak with Professor Sycamore. He meant to ask if he may leave, but ended up quietly saying, “I need to go; they're calling.”
    
    “Hang on,” Sycamore said, getting up and going out into the hallway. Calem followed him, noticing that a few of his classmates looked at them, curious. Once they were out of the classroom and the door partly shut, the teacher said, “The Asari are?”
    
    He nodded. “It's been happening every time it rains since this school year started. I've been trying to ignore it, but then it's hard to pay attention in class, and just now I got the feeling that he might be forceful about it if I do that any longer.”
    
    Sycamore put his hand to his chin, worried. “Hmm, I’d hoped we'd find out more before you'd meet back up. Then again, it's been hard enough that it could be better to go along with them a little. Keep your wits about you and don't give in, Calem. I'll get Trevor to take some extra notes for you. Good luck.”
    
    “Thanks,” Calem said, then hurried down the hall and the stairs to get outside. He didn't even think to grab a rain jacket.
    
    Once outside, Mortan appeared from his Pokeball. “I’ll be with you,” he said.
    
    “Good.” Calem started to slow down as he went down the steps to the sidewalk. “Now how am I going to find him? I haven't been able to sense him before, not until he was right there.”
    
    The Floette floated around, but must have been having trouble himself. “He's been trying to call you, right? Maybe you should follow that.”
    
    Now that he was outside, he did hear the call better. Although he was fairly certain that only he was hearing it. “Right. Then, this way.” He walked along the sidewalk and off school grounds, searching for the call. It seemed to change place on occasion, but usually from the same general direction. Because of the rain, there were only a few people out and they all had umbrellas. Calem's uniform was soon soaked, but he found that he didn't mind it all that much.
    
    This brought him to one of the narrow alleyways. This didn't seem like a good plan, Calem thought. He was pretty sure that Heinrich wouldn't kill him, but there might be other troublemakers in these back alley mazes. However, it would also be somewhere out of sight, for whatever they needed to do. He walked along the buildings until a turn brought him out of sight of the main streets.
    
    A moment later, he was shoved hard into the brick wall. His feet weren't even touching the ground and the Asari dagger was pressed against his chest. The eyeless sockets in Heinrich's face seemed to be glowering at him. “Don’t ignore me again,” he growled.
    
    “Sorry,” Calem said, trying to keep brave. “Uh, I don't want to skip out on school too much. They, well, they might excuse a few times, but they might also kick me out.”
    
    “I suppose we do want to keep you there,” he said, although he kept him pinned. “Their education would be valuable with our powers.”
    
    “Then could you please wait until after classes let out?” He was hopeful that was agreeable. “I'm excused for today, but after...”
    
    “Fine,” Heinrich said. Then a blast of water hit him in the back of his head. He let go of Calem and turned to face the Frogadier. “Don't push your luck with me, Pokemon. I thought I already explained that.”
    
    Swift kept a battle stance and croaked in an aggressive manner. “She'll defend Calem against you,” Mortan said. “As will I, or any of the rest of us.”
    
    “It's useless to fight me because it's in our interest to keep him alive too,” he said, tapping his hand against his hip. “Pokemon, pah...”
    
    “Did you ever have Pokemon?” Calem asked, recalling Yveltal's words that he might be an ally.
    
    “I let them go once I became aware of our family's fate,” Heinrich said. “Sure it upset them, but I knew I might kill them and that was the worse option. Most of us didn't keep a single Pokemon, as those who did often ended up killing them with their own hands. Keeping as many as you have is a huge risk.”
    
    “They're my friends; I don't want to abandon them.” He snapped his fingers and Swift came to his side.
    
    “You care too much.” He spun his dagger in the air and made it vanish. “If you'd just kill to make this quicker... but you won't, not today. Fine then. You've gotten the anklet, so we'll start with that.” He reappeared a few feet down the alley. “Well?”
    
    “Well wh...?” then noticed something as Heinrich moved again. Something appeared to his aura senses, seeming like a faint green circle on the ground. It was only there briefly while Heinrich moved from where he was to the marked spot. “Teleporting?”
    
    “Not true teleportation, but similar,“ he said. “The three tools of the Asari were gifts to teach us these powers. And this, move with silence and swiftness. You don't need to think about it. Just follow me.” He moved again. “Follow.”
    
    “Um, sure,” Calem said, walking towards him. But then the anklet sparked, stinging his leg. “Ow!”
    
    “Not like that,” Heinrich scolded. “Silence, swiftness. Follow.” Unexpectedly, Swift hopped and seemed to vanish, then reappeared on the glowing spot. “She can figure it out. Hmph. You do it.”
    
    Swift croaked something as she hopped back to Calem's side. “Yeah, it seems you just need to step with the intent of just reaching that spot,” Mortan translated. “He's activating the spell for you to practice with.”
    
    “Okay?” Calem focused on the next spot left open for him. How did he do this if it wasn't something he could think about? He made a step with the intention of reaching that spot. And in a blur, he appeared there in one step although it was eight feet away.
    
    “Keep moving,” Heinrich said, from further down the alley.
    
    Now that he'd done it, it was easier to follow the circles. It was almost like walking, in that he didn't really need to think about it. However, he couldn't move as quickly as his teacher did, or without seeming to move at all, or with no sound. But that might improve with practice. They even crossed a public plaza without the few people there noticing them. Mortan retreated to his Pokeball after failing to keep up, but Swift decided to follow along.
    
    Then they got into more alleyways and Calem crashed into the corner of one building. Missing the step like that briefly made him dizzy, not to mention the pain in his knee, chest, and face from hitting the stone wall. He stopped there in the corner, putting his hand on his face and wondering if he was bleeding. Heinrich soon returned to his side. “Did you do that on purpose?” Calem asked.
    
    “Yes,” he said. “You're relying on sight. You need to feel where you're moving. I suppose it is easier to use sight, but that will limit what you can do.”
    
    “Can you see anything?” Calem asked. After all, he didn't have eyes but he could aim his dagger where he wanted it to go.
    
    “Not as you do,” Heinrich said. “We've grown to the point of relying on aura sense more than mundane senses. It's more accurate and informative. You're still too human to reach this state.” He started back the way they'd come. “Let's get back to your school; you'll want that injury looked at.”
    
    The collision pains hurt, but Calem tried to ignore them while he followed Heinrich to the LMA grounds. They stopped just behind the cafeteria, as the infirmary was also in the building. Inside, Calem sensed that it was already lunch period. There was also a kind of haze a few feet from where they'd stopped, a collection of many spells lingering in the area.
    
    “I can't go further without triggering alarms,” the faceless man said. “I'll leave you alone this evening, but tomorrow, there should be a sufficient period of rain after your school day. Be ready.”
    
    “All right,” Calem said. He thought about saying goodbye, but Heinrich vanished as soon as he was done speaking. After giving a wave to no particular direction, Calem walked to the nearest entrance with Swift at his side. The healer on duty wanted to know how he'd gotten banged up like that, but with some curative magic and bandages, he was allowed to get lunch and return to his classes.
    
    

* * *

    
    _On some research in the school library, I found that what Heinrich was teaching me was officially called a swift step warp, or just swiftstep. The books mentioned that most practitioners only ever warped within their sights, needing to see where they would move. But as he drilled me on it for several months, he continually insisted that I should feel the swiftstep more than see it. I would need to have my heightened senses to stand a chance at doing it, but eventually I was able to keep my eye on our surroundings rather than trying to find the next target. That made it so that I could warp around corners and onto varying heights as long as the target was within my aura sense._
    
    _As I got better, Heinrich would lead me through the main streets rather than the alleyways. I could land right next to a person and quickly move on to the next target, and they wouldn't know it was me near them. That is how the Asari can appear as little more than moving shadows, how sometimes you don't know they're there until you feel the air moving from their passage. Well, part of how._
    
    _He always encouraged me to kill, to make things easier as he put it. I always refused. After a while, it seemed like he was only going through the motions of it. Maybe he didn't want me to kill but the main Asari will did, although I can't be sure of it. There was a very close call once, in mid-winter._
    
     The rain on this weekend was near freezing, sharp little pecks as they fell on his face while following after Heinrich. But it was rain, so he insisted on their usual practice. From the feel of the air, it could shift over to snow. That would make it harder for Calem to keep practicing, as the magic best supported him in the rain. He wondered if his teacher would force him to keep going if it did start snowing.
    
    Just as he was wondering about that, Heinrich suddenly stopped in the entrance to an alleyway off one of the canal streets. Calem arrived on the target point beside him, wondering what they were stopping for. There were a few people in the street, but no shielding spells or anything that would normally stop them. As he was about to ask, Heinrich did something unusual. He took hold of Calem's upper arm, almost as a gesture of warning.
    
    Then the Asari's will to murder others hit Calem. It was both a potent feeling of hatred towards all other living beings and a twisted joy at having a power beyond others. For a moment, he didn't even feel like himself. As he looked out on the street in that bloody haze of thoughts, he noticed a small boy leaning precariously near the edge of the canal, looking at the water. He didn't even need a weapon for that as all it would take was a single push.
    
    That wasn't what he wanted! Calem dug his fingernails into his palms and gritted his teeth, pushing against their will. Although he tried to look away from the boy, his gaze seemed locked in that direction. He saw as the boy leaned closer, trying to see something and unaware of his dangerous position. Then he slipped on the slick ground.
    
    He would have fallen straight into the canal, but Calem's body moved faster than his mind as he did a swiftstep down onto the surface of the quickly flowing water, catching the boy on the way. Not even on that spot a second, he then moved to the other side of the canal to safety. The boy yelped at the sudden fall, then the sudden yank out of danger. The child's mother called in alarm, but as he looked back, Calem wasn't sure how to use a swiftstep back there. Thankfully, Heinrich threw up a couple more targets, one on the water and the other on the other side of the street. Calem moved to the other side, nearly causing the mother to slip as he appeared suddenly.
    
    “Sorry, m'am,” he said, letting go of the boy. He could still feel the murderous intent in his mind, but it wasn't pushing him as strongly now. “And you be more careful not to slip in the water.”
    
    The little boy burst into tears and hugged his mother. She picked him up to reassure him, then smiled at him. “Thank you, young man. I didn't realize he was over there; it could have been a terrible accident.”
    
    Or worse, not an accident. “You're welcome.” He noticed his teacher waving him over, so he added, “Sorry for leaving so abruptly, but I need to be somewhere. Take care.” He then had to hurry to use swiftstep after Heinrich, as he headed directly to Prism Tower in the center of Lumiose.
    
    And not just to the landmark tower, but up its sides. Calem moved quickly to follow; it was only when they got to a viewing platform at the top that he let himself recall the potentially treacherous footing on the steel bars that made up this structure. It was honestly frightening. But, they had both made it. The buildings of Lumiose stretched out around them, very few of them as tall as Prism Tower. Through the sleet, he could just make out the tops of the academy buildings to the northwest.
    
    Heinrich hadn't brought him up here for the view, though. There was no one else around here to hear them. “Do you know what you just did?”
    
    “I saved him instead of killing him,” Calem said.
    
    He snorted. “Didn't even wait to see about a reward. That's not supposed to be how Asari are.”
    
    The voices still lingered in his mind, but not as loud. Calem gripped one of his ears, for a moment only hearing the sound of his blood running through it. “That's how I am, so I'm not apologizing for it.”
    
    By lifting his foot up behind him, Heinrch grabbed hold of his ankle. In that way, Calem finally saw his anklet, just like the one he wore. “This charm can cast the movement spell automatically, in an emergency when you must move and there's not even time to cast. That's how you were able to do that foolish stunt. But the fact that you were able to, including landing on the water without falling in, means that you have learned movement sufficiently to learn the rune to trigger it. Here.” He let go of his foot to make the rune appear in the air, transferring it into Calem's mind.
    
    “And you're going to make me use it to get back to school myself, right?” Calem asked.
    
    He smirked. “I would... but this sleet is turning to snow. It's better if you practice in the rain first. But I do want you to go back. You've learned a second rune, so you have right to claim another one of our items. Use the runes for Water Pulse on the box and see what lies inside. Once you've done that, meet me in another place for the second part of today's lesson.”
    
    “What place?”
    
    “You've heard a poem about Yveltal, haven't you? Your Pokemon know it. Find it at your school and take the door there to a place I can appear.” Heinrich then took off, using swiftstep to move back through the city.
    
    Even if it had been raining, Calem wasn't sure about using that technique on his own to go down the way he had come up. But there was an elevator in this place, wasn't there? He headed in and found that there was, one that was coming up just now. Several people came out, including a boy about his age and Diantha. The boy was talking, “There isn't a lot of space in here, so it won't be a big one, but there should be enough to,” he paused as he saw Calem waiting there, then shifted his thick glasses. “Err, what are you doing up here? Prism Tower was closed off an hour ago.”
    
    “Sorry, my teacher brought me here to get out of the sleet,” Calem said. “Now I need to go track him down again.”
    
    Diantha chuckled. “Oh, Calem, it seems I run into you on unexpected occasions. I wasn't aware that Augustine could sneak into buildings like this. Then again, he is always a little mischievous.”
    
    Calem rubbed his head. “Yeah, seems like it. No, it's someone else. Extracurricular lessons, you know. Sorry, I’ll be going.”
    
    The boy moved further into the room with a couple of the others, but Diantha held a hand up to one man, keeping them back a moment. “Oh, sure you can't talk for a little? It's interesting that we'd run into you today, because I've been wanting to introduce you two. Siebold, this is Calem, you know? The boy who was with me at Viola's gym, and the one Korrina was talking about with the weather spells. Calem, this is Siebold, the Water specialist of the the Elite Four, and an excellent chef on the side as well.”
    
    “Ah, you're that one,” Siebold said, nodding. He shook hands with Calem. “It's always interesting to hear about talented kids, but I will admit that I hadn't heard of a power like increased awareness simply due to rain before.”
    
    “It's not quite like that,” Calem said. “My magic and abilities are linked to rain, so it's easier for me on days like this, well, before it turned to sleet. I really would like to talk with you, but I shouldn't keep my teacher waiting; he's pretty strict.” Then something came into his mind. “Oh, sorry for asking out of the blue, but what are the runes to Water Pulse? I've seen my Frogadier use it, but hadn't tried to deduce it yet.”
    
    Siebold put a hand to his chin, thinking. “Well, it's not a simple one, due to the potential for an added status effect. Then again, if what I hear is true, you might be capable of it. Okay, I’ve got something,” He pulled out a business card and wrote the runes on the back of it. “I'll just ask around about you next time I have business at LMA, how's that?”
    
    “That should be fine,” Calem said, accepting the business card. It was for one of the restaurants in Lumiose; apparently Siebold could be requested there as a chef on a reservation. “Thanks, Siebold. I hope to see you later.”
    
    He and Diantha said goodbye to him as Calem went into the elevator and took it down. The tower was closed off simply with a sign on every entrance, so it was easy to get back into the chilly sleet. Outside, he found one of the Gogoats that were trained to run people around Lumiose. It was a bad day for it, but it was quicker than running himself and safer than trying to use swiftstep in these conditions. Calem made sure to sneak the Gogoat a berry along with the usual fee, quietly adding a pat and apology for using its services on this cold day.
    
    The weather was poor enough that the sidewalks around the school were empty. Even the students that might come out to play in the snow on a Saturday wouldn't do so in the wet sleet. He got back to his hidden dorm room and took off his damp coat, hat, and gloves. Since he had another set, these could sit in the bathroom to dry out. His Pokemon also came out of their balls to be with him, as they usually did.
    
    Yorick was already cackling and rubbing his hands together when he appeared. “Oh sure, you're eager to go there,” Mortan said, sounding reluctant.
    
    Having left his things to dry, he came back into the room and took the box out from under the bed. “About the place where the poem is? Yeah, I need to meet with him there after I handle this.”
    
    The Haunter drifted around the room, apparently chattering. After a bit, Mortan translated, “He says that he hatched around there and that's why he likes the place. But he didn't find many other Gastlies, so he came up into the school buildings to find company. It seems the students started calling him Yorick after he possessed a skull during one a practice session of the drama club.”
    
    “At least it was just the practice,” Calem said. But when Yorick laughed at that, he added, “You disrupted the play too? I suppose I shouldn't be surprised at that, not with what else I’ve heard about you. Well before we go find the spot, I need to deal with this.” Checking over the runes from Siebold, he traced them onto one of the bigger surfaces on the old black box.
    
    Thankfully, the runes took on a blue glow. Once the spell word was on the box, the letters faded and there was a click. The metal hinges creaked stiffly as he lifted the lid up. Inside, there a dark gray cloth folded up neatly into a thick square and a packet of loose papers tied up with a black string. The string broke easily and he found that it was a bunch of letters, the first of which was for him. He read it aloud.
    
    'To the one who opens this:
    
    I feel like I should apologize to you for letting you get far enough to find this. I hope your skin is still free of the Asari markings. This will be the last letter I write while I'm alive, possibly when I’m recognizably human in any way. Some of our minds might remain after death and transformation. When I’ve spoken to some Asari, they occasionally show hints of what their true personalities are like. I'm hoping to keep enough of mine to become an absolutely terrible teacher of the Asari arts. Maybe if I can't teach them properly, you and my other descendants won't fall to this curse. But I don't know how much the eldest Asari will control me; maybe I’ll be a better teacher of it than I want to be.
    
    But if you've managed to earn the cowl, I want to pass on certain information to you before the original Asari can fully counter me. You see, I thought I could escape the curse by taking my own life, but it only made me fall victim to it and go insane. I honestly don't remember about three years of my life; I’m in a completely different land, in a prison cell waiting for execution. But right now, my mind is strangely clear. The Asari should be pressuring me to escape and keep killing. But I hear nothing from them; I don't even feel their presence anymore. I know that I’ll still become one, but the fact that I can be myself right now is a hope you should hold onto. There might be a way to end this dark legacy entirely.
    
    I'm not sure what that would be, though. I'm writing down my thoughts now and trying to figure it out, or at least give you what clues might help you do that instead. It could be that I already have an heir, so they're no longer concerned with my survival. But I really don't think that's it. My father escaped the curse, but I know that when my grandfather first killed, his father was still alive and following the will of the Asari. They seem to prefer that, so they really should be trying to get me to escape instead of accepting my punishment.
    
    Let's go back to what I do remember. My first clear thoughts after the suicide attempt were when I was following the orders of a living man, someone who'd found a way to compel me to kill for him. He wanted me to execute an enemy commander, so I trailed the man into a dance hall. That's where I met Beatrice, or rather, Miss Roselia as she was calling herself. I started dancing with her to blend in; I found out later that she knew I was a dangerous person from the moment she saw the black markings on my face. In order to lure me into a trap, she approached me without fear and started to flirt with me.
    
    We ended up falling in love that evening and it's really something I can't explain. Our first dance and words exchanged were all an act, but it somehow became real for the both of us. I would like nothing more than to get rid of my accursed powers and be a normal person, the husband she deserves. I can't do that; she knows it and accepts me anyhow. She's afraid of being discovered for it, though. The people of this country would probably hate her if they learned she fell in love with a monster who killed so many of them. She visited me one last time this morning in secret, going so far as to use makeup to pretend to be someone else. While she was here, she gave me the letters I had written to her. I still have the ones she wrote to me, as few as they are, so I’m going to put them in this box with this one. If enough time has passed and she's still alive, could you give them back to her? If not, please take good care of them. Her love is the most precious thing to me.
    
    I think the point that matters most for you has to do with the god Yveltal. He's a dark god of death in this land, although I find that he has a caring heart. When I was with Beatrice, she told me that her people were concerned that this war would awaken Yveltal, as his death (so to speak) would kill many other lives to end the war in brutal cruelty. I was afraid of that; I didn't want to think of her dying, either at my hands or anyone else's. But I had powers that no one else had, so I used the Asari tools to track down this death god.
    
    I found him as he was awakening but through some stroke of luck, I had come at the right time with the right abilities to halt his awakening. I asked him to help me, but while he could not remove the curse, he said that my will had overcome theirs and thus I was free for what time I had left. And he was right. Ever since I connected to Yveltal and put him back to rest, my mind has been my own. Unfortunately, it's a little too late to end the curse entirely with me. Yveltal can't remove our curse, but something about what I did would have freed me from it if I hadn't already killed.
    
    When I was in training under my grandfather's spirit, he said something that stuck out to me but I was never able to figure out. “This all goes back to the eldest Asari and what he chose to do. If he had not done so, we would not exist like this.” The trouble is, I never knew my grandfather in life. My father ran away from his abusive situation and was raised by a strict family devoted to a powerful goddess. It's why he never killed and thus escaped. But that also means that he learned little about our family's history. I don't know what the eldest Asari did. But in this time when I can think clearly, I keep coming back to the thought that if I knew that story, I might have been able to stop this entirely.
    
    You need to find the original story somehow. I know that will be key to this whole situation. Perhaps when I’m one of the Asari, I will know it and can tell you.
    
    This is all I have time to write, but those are all the things I wanted to tell someone before I was transformed. My son, or whoever you are, I pray that you can do what I couldn’t and put this curse to rest at last.
    
    Sincerely, Heinrich Asari'
    
    

* * *

    
    The poem about Yveltal was in the basement of another one of the school buildings. It wasn't easy to reach; there was a hallway of classrooms, but then the school basement linked into another basement hallway that seemed even older, more neglected. Right on the wall, the poem was painted on in thick black strokes next to a stone archway leading to a staircase heading down. On the other side of the doorway, there was a four foot tall depiction of a flower that looked similar to the one Mortan held. But below the stem, the picture turned bizarre with unnatural looking roots.
    
    “It's almost like a cage here,” Calem said, crouching by the bottom of the picture.
    
    “Uh, that's because it is,” Mortan said. “You remember the story of the machine that brought me to life? And then was turned to a weapon that wiped out much of the population. This... is a diagram of that weapon.” Percival said something in his metallic voice.
    
    “What's the diagram doing here?” Calem asked. “That story happened so long ago, but even though these passages look old, I don't think they're that old.”
    
    “That's what he said,” Mortan said. “I don't know for certain. But I do know that this poem was written by Leonidas, and his book had this diagram next to it. Later in life, he felt guilty about his part in what happened, which was why he wrote the poem. Although,” he floated to the line about Yveltal, “this is an altered version. Leonidas' poem ends with 'A black flower blooms' as a reference to me and the weapon. Someone might've copied the diagram from the book to here, but with a different ending line for some reason.”
    
    Hearing that caused a shiver in Calem's spine. “You know, I think we're still on school property... and here's evidence of that weapon where students are taught magic for mostly peaceful uses.”
    
    Yorick cackled and said something else. “You're right, and the school has that Miracle Eye weapon too,” Mortan translated. “But, that's kind of how Kalos is, Calem. Evidence of an act that took many lives under a place of learning, it's not that surprising. And seriously, just wait until you see where your great-grandfather is leading you. I think I know why now.”
    
    “We're together, so we'll be all right,” Calem said, mostly to Percival who seemed nervous about this. Guessing that Heinrich had meant down the stairs, he headed that way.
    
    The air grew still and the light faded as he continued down. A quick light spell fixed the latter situation, allowing them (at least the non-floating ones) to safely descend this long staircase. How deep were they going? He saw a few doorways, but they were all sealed off with old wall structures. Sometimes crumbling masonry allowed him to peek into other underground passages, but not pass through without taking a lot of time to remove it. At the very bottom of it, Calem's light revealed an archway covered in human skulls.
    
    That wasn't it. Past the skull arch, there was a hallway with wall niches that were packed with bones. Someone had taken the time to sort them all away neatly; leg bones in one area, arm bones in another, rib bones in yet another... spare spots in the wall often had a skull, hand, or foot nailed onto them. And not just human bones. Some of the skulls were almost recognizable as certain Pokemon, like the large metal jaw of a Mawile, a skull of a Gogoat that had its horns preserved onto it, even a tiny whole skeleton that might have been a Flabebe with its flower long ago crumbled away. It was both creepy and fascinating... and he could probably get to his homeroom class in about ten minutes if he hurried from here.
    
    “What is this place?” Calem asked.
    
    “It's a charnal house,” Mortan said. “Lumiose has been around in this place for a very long time; it was old three thousand years ago when I lived here with AZ. And humans like to bury their dead, to keep a place to remember them. But with so many people living here, graveyards would eventually get full. The gravekeepers dig the older bodies back up and store the bones in such places. Mostly the bones crumble to dust, but this particular catacomb had just the right conditions to keep them. They're still rather frail, as taking them out would end up in their destruction.”
    
    “It's a place of remembrance, but how many people know it's down here?” he wondered. “That's kind of sad.”
    
    Mortan floated ahead. “Well these folks would have no one who could remember them.” He put a paw to his chin, holding his flower's stem carefully in his other arm. “This one... I believe this was from a time of great pestilence. A terrible disease hit human and Pokemon alike, killing so many that there would be lines of wagons full of the dead waiting to be disposed of. It led to a fascination of death and mortality, hence why the grave keepers, overwhelmed by their job, made such elaborate places to keep the bones.”
    
    That made him realize something that should have been obvious right from the archway of skulls. “Then, the power of death is here, making it an easy place for the Asari spirits to appear.”
    
    “Good, that's exactly why,” Heinrich said, appearing in one of the shadows. He was leaning against the wall with his arms crossed over his chest. “You could call on me or the others from here if you needed us when there's no rain. Did you bring the cowl?”
    
    “Yes, I have it right here,” he said, still carrying it over his arm.
    
    “Put it on,” he ordered.
    
    Calem did so. It was almost black, a bit dusty looking, and tattered on some of the edges. Despite how old it looked, it felt quite strong. Tugging at it didn't distort the weave any, or tear even the tattered portions. It had a hood that draped down over his forehead, probably hiding his eyes in its shadow. At the neck, a black ribbon tied it closed. The sleeves were loose and of an indefinite shape, allowing him to hide his arms and hands completely or have them out to do things with. The rest draped over his body in such a way that with the right shoes and socks, he would be able to blend into the shadows just by standing in the right spot.
    
    “And now you can't take it off, just like the anklet,” Heinrich said.
    
    “I can't?” Calem asked, a little horrified. “That could be hard to work around...”
    
    “It's not,” Heinrich said, walking over to him. “Pay attention.” He used a rune word on the cowl, causing it to shrink rapidly until it was just the black ribbon tied around Calem's neck. With a similar rune word, the cowl returned to its actual form. “This is important to learn, since oftentimes you do have to blend into normal society. The same commands will dismiss and recall the dagger when you acquire it.”
    
    The runes seemed familiar; he remembered them from someone in Psionics who was practicing various forms of levitation. They weren't difficult runes, so it took little effort to control the cowl. “Okay, I’ll work on it.”
    
    “What the cowl does is passive. You may figure it out yourself, depending on what you do. In the meantime, I'm still going to drill you on movement until you can grasp the whole of it. Keep coming to find me when the conditions are right.”
    
    He nodded. “Right... Heinrich, can you tell me about the first Asari? What's his story?”
    
    He was quiet for a moment, unnervingly still. “No,” he finally said. He was clenching his fist; maybe he did want to, but wasn't allowed to. “The time's not right for that. You could...” he tensed again, “No, you couldn't. But if you could find it, that would impress me. I've changed my mind, that's it for now. I'll see you another day, Calem.” Then he vanished.
    
    “Hooo mai ri,” Starlet said, bowing her head.
    
    “He was trying, that's for sure,” Mortan said. “He scared us at first, but I feel bad for him now.”
    
    “Well they were humans once,” Calem said. “Maybe they still are, at least partly.”
    


	17. Mortan's Story (Two of Three)

_All the excited talk in my homeroom about possibly going to Parfum Palace made Mortan reminiscent of the original palace, so it was around this time that I got him to finally talk about what went on between his early days as the prince's pet and the final war that led to the creation of ultimate weapon and life-giving miracle._

On a warm spring night, the castle in Lumiose City was filled with flames.

The smell of smoke had woken the Floette up. At first, he wondered if it was the fireplace. But winter had passed many weeks ago, so the fireplaces weren't used as often. Then he wondered if AZ was working at his machinery projects again. He had recently finished constructing a lovely object called a Miracle Eye and was now working on something to do with crystals. But as he sat up in the stuffy room and rubbed his eyes, he saw that AZ was in bed, asleep. And the door was glowing red, with the sound of active fire beyond it.

He gave a shriek of fright, then hurried over and tugged at AZ's ear. “Wake up, there's fire!”

Startled awake, AZ sat up quick enough that the Floette had to grab his ear to not get knocked away. Then the door cracked under the force of fire and was consumed by a stream of fire rushing straight into the room. The flames caught onto any flammable object with incredible speed; only the layout of his room gave AZ any time to get out of his bed before it was consumed by flames too. Wailing in agony at the flames, the Aegislash hurried over to them while glowing bright yellow. AZ got a fire repellant spell up trying to protect himself and the two Pokemon from the blaze. Elsewhere in the room, the Garchomp scurried along the floor, growling but not looking too comfortable either even if he could withstand the blaze better than any of them.

“What about my parents?” AZ asked, hurrying over to his workspace. The Miracle Eye was shimmering in the heat, but was probably really dangerous to touch right now. On the other hand, there was an icy blue crystal there that seemed remarkably unaffected. AZ took hold of it and used it to reinforce his shield greatly. It almost got cool within it, at least enough to where the Aegislash quieted down.

“We should just get out of here,” the Floette said, afraid of this fire. He knew AZ was a very good magic user, but what if the shield broke even with the crystal's help?

However, AZ decided to head out into the hallway. In order to keep within the shield, ''''' and the Aegislash had to follow along. The blaze was even more intense out here. It covered every surface, rolling in powerful waves of heat. Worst of all, the center of this fire's power seemed to be coming from the king and queen's room. That had to be the starting point. And given that they heard nothing but the flames, they were likely dead already.

AZ wanted to go check on them, just in case of some miracle leaving them alive. But when even the Garchomp came into the fire shield to get out of the blaze, he didn't want to push his Pokemon into staying longer than they had to. So they fled, to the nearest stairs and exit to the castle.

They were the only ones to survive in the central area of the fire, up in the royal quarters.

* * *

Leonidas had survived the fire by not being in it. For the past few days, he'd been bragging about how he and some friends had come across those who had set the fire, conspirators from the kingdom to the north of Kalos' border. They had chased the arsonists down and captured them, allowing for swift punishment on them for killing the king and queen. But if he had caught them setting the fire, the Floette wondered why didn't he try to rescue his family. It seemed suspicious, even if the arsonists admitted to their crime.

This was the funeral for the king and queen. A great many people were in the church to pay their respects. To the side, a pair of scribes were busily taking notes on the event, to pass on to criers who would spread news of this to those who couldn't be here. At the front, AZ was trying to keep himself composed even though he had to dab away tears fairly often. There were times when he said it was hard to believe that both of them were gone now. But the charred room, filled with just ashes and soot, was the unavoidable truth. He also said that he had to be strong, or at least try to be, so that people saw him as reliable. He'd keep most of his grief to himself, but the emotions here were too overwhelming.

In contrast, Leonidas was nodding off next to AZ. What had he been doing since the fire? He was avoiding AZ, at least, and he didn't seem to be much in grief here. All this ceremony for someone passing away was new to the Floette, but he felt that Leon could at least be respectful enough to stay way. He drifted over to him and tugged at his ear. “Hey, don't be going asleep,” he whispered.

Leon absentmindedly swatted at the Floette with a fan, knocking him over into AZ. Noticing that, AZ glared at Leon briefly when his brother opened his eyes. Leon simply frowned and looked away, using his fan as if an excuse for hitting him. The incident didn't continue past that, but after the funeral, AZ seemed more bitter to his brother for it.

* * *

Forty days after the funeral, in the very same church, AZ was crowned the King of his father's lands, Kalos and the land of the Heavenly Mountain (a solitary peak to the southeast of Lumiose). Those and the five kingdoms he had already, stretching far to the northwest, gave him a lot of land to rule. Many from those lands had come to attend, leading this event to be packed as well.

In day to day affairs, AZ dressed simply. His growth had seemed to level out at twelve feet high, but any tailor had to make clothes differently for him. To compensate, AZ was careful with his clothing, even repairing it himself by magic as long as possible. But for the coronation, he had an entirely new outfit, with bold colors. There were shoulder pads to make him look even bigger, a waist sash as was common custom in the city, and a large fur-trimmed cape. He'd even gotten a pocket added to the cape just for his Floette to rest in if he got tired at the coronation. But the tiny Pokemon was excited and hovered close to him the whole time. It was a human matter, so most of the Pokemon were kept away or in guard positions, where they held still unless trouble happened. But as always, the Floette was an exception.

The man conducting the ceremony had to lifted the crown up to place it on AZ head, even if the king was kneeling. He also had to stealthily clip the crown to AZ's hair to keep it in place, a maneuver they had practiced for quite a while. But unless they got it resized from a normal sized person's crown, it was what had to be done. “And now, I present to you, our new king and ruler of seven lands, Aleksander Zacheriah de Kalos.”

There was much cheering and applauding to this announcement as AZ got back to his feet. The Floette whirled himself around and smiled, although only AZ and the other man could possibly see him. For a moment, AZ smiled back at him. But then he turned serious to address the crowd. The Floette had listened to him practice it, using the mental exercise to help keep his mind off of the loss of his parents. Even with all that listening, the Pokemon didn't fully understand it.

But what he could understand seemed to be great things, like, “The goal I have as king is to give a peaceful and stable country for many future generations to come. For that purpose, I am abolishing the seven lands to combine them under one name, Kalos. There will not be seven separate codes of law, but one; hopefully the many codes and laws will all become one for the sake of peace and unity.”

There was also, “We will end strife and stop corrupted men from taking advantage of our people. Thus any who claim ownership to land where others live will now need to prove their worth to their tenants. Otherwise, the ownership of their land will come to the country, not the individual.”

It was all in the name of stopping useless fighting, so the Floette thought there shouldn't be anyone who disagreed with it.

* * *

Leonidas cursed his brother's name as he paced in his room. He thought he'd finally had a chance to get into a position he deserved, no longer restrained to the misfortune of being born second instead of first. While the arson had not been his doing, he had heard about it before it happened and planned things so that he could capture the conspirators while being just too late to save his family. That should have cast him in a positive light while having the sympathy of being the sole surviving member of the Kalos royal family. But no, AZ had to survive that somehow.

While he knew he should have respect for his parents, he never felt like they deserved it from him. He was the second child, the one they hadn't wanted. His mother kept nagging at him to get along with his older brother and his father kept asking, not always directly, why he couldn't be more like his brother. Why did they have to insist that AZ was better than him? AZ was a freak! Anyone could see that, but their parents chose to ignore that and treat him like he was a gift. Why should someone incapable of holding a normal conversation like a normal human being become the king? AZ talked to Pokemon more than people, especially that silly flower fairy, even though he admitted to mostly guessing what they thought. He didn't know what was important.

Like this ruling to take land from those who didn't deserve it. That was ridiculous, a thinly veiled conspiracy to take power from everyone else. Supposedly it was to discourage over-taxation and mistreatment of lower classes. But what was the point of that? Poor people were peasants because they deserved to be peasants. If a person deserved power, than the gods would have seen to it that they were born into a position of power. If they were born into a landless family with no influence, then they obviously couldn't handle owning land or influence. That was just how things worked out and it was proven whenever some idiot gave a peasant a chance and the peasant squandered it. That happened every time.

Leonidas was born royalty. He had the wits, intelligence, and magic to have royal power. Despite that, his father had never asked him to take the royal trials! Melchior kept saying that he didn't fully grasp the responsibility or ethics needed to be a good king. Yet he had sent AZ to take the trials when he was just thirteen! It was clear that his parents just stupidly favored the first-born, so Leonidas felt no shame in showing as little respect to them as necessary to be publicly acceptable.

If things were as they should be, then he should have been sent on the trials and given at least one of the seven kingdoms that AZ had claim to. Leonidas would have been fine with that; he could prove his worth in that way and expand his kingdom if he did things right. Instead, AZ consolidated them into one and didn't give Leonidas any land ownership rights. He assigned his brother to an administrative position that would have little contact with him. Well fine, he didn't want to be around AZ every day anyhow. But it was still enormously unfair.

Not only that, but AZ was now seeking to conquer other kingdoms, in the name of ending conflict. How did he expect to end conflict when he was starting the biggest conflict of all? He had already taken over the kingdom that had killed their parents. While the rulers and conspirators were executed, AZ didn't demolish the kingdom like he should. Instead, he made sure to repair what had been damaged and converted their laws and systems to match that of Kalos. He was currently continuing to conquer northward, but already had started building a war castle on Heavenly Mountain in order to support what could be a tougher conquest of the southern and eastern kingdoms. To Leonidas, it simply looked like an unreasonable lust for power. Those kings were also born to rule and the gods would surely turn against AZ for his conquests.

If not the gods, than the others who found their power taken away from them due to these new laws would. Leonidas already knew a good number of them; they'd be willing to fight with him to put him in power, to reset things to how they had been. He might even be able to make allies out of old enemies, with AZ as their common foe.

It would take time, he knew, but he would find his rightful place in the world.

* * *

Mercia felt like the luckiest girl in the world. And why shouldn't she? She was the only princess of the elegant kingdom of Anistar, the only child of the king at that. Many people around her had nothing but the best compliments for her, on her beauty, on her dancing, on her singing. Because of that, her parents were going to hold a big competition to see who would be her husband. That was going to be amazing, seeing so many men try hard to win her hand. But in the end, it was her choice to accept or decline the winner. The competitors would have to work to win the contest and to win her heart. She could already imagine some mysterious competitor approaching her in a romantic way and being such a charmer that she'd pick him whether he won or lost.

But, the competition was still in planning. All she could do right now was dream about it. But her parents had just called her to meet them in the garden, to talk about it. Maybe it wouldn't be too far away? Even this summer? Mercia went right away to them, wondering what challenge they'd come up with.

Her parents seemed down for something that should be an excitement to look forward too. “What's with all the gloomy faces?” Mercia asked, smiling. “Weren't we going to talk about the competition?”

Her father looked aside. “Yes, about that...”

“We're sorry dear,” her mother said, coming over and hugging her. “We're thinking about canceling it.”

“What, canceling it? But, but we've been talking about doing this for years about how you'd find my husband. Why can't we do this?” It had been her dream since she was a girl, this contest and then a magnificent wedding that everyone would be jealous of for years. It wasn't fair to take half of it out totally.

“I would love to do this for you, dear,” her father said. “I only want the best for you. But I also want what's best for our people, and right now it looks like the best way to get each is to cancel the competition and offer your hand to the king of Kalos.”

Her mother nodded. “He's supposed to be an amazing man, after all, one that probably could have won any competition we would have come up with. They say he's an intelligent powerful king, with an exceptional talent in magic and many other things. Why, there's even been talk that he's great with Pokemon too, and anybody who wins the loyalty of many Pokemon must have a truly kind heart.”

“I haven't heard of him!” Mercia said, clenching a fist at her side. “Have you even met him? How do you know if he is that good?”

Her parents looked nervously at each other; they must not have. But her father said, “Even as great as they say he is, no one can deny that for the past eight years, AZ has been conquering many other kingdoms to add to his own. Anistar got quite lucky early on. One of his first targets was our neighboring kingdoms but then he decided to focus on the more aggressive countries to the south. We had hopes that he simply wasn't interested in us, but then we learned that he is favored by the gods. Xerneas teaches him personally, and Yveltal is said to come to his aid without delay. Perhaps even the other... at any rate, one of them has charged him with conquering all the lands they watch over and making it one country. He's not lost once this whole time.”

“Then he will be coming here at some time,” Mercia realized, knowing that could only be bad for Anistar. Their kingdom didn't have much of an army.

“And to fight against him would mean that many in Anistar would die trying in vain to stop him,” he said. “Thus we need to make an offer of peace before he even thinks about conquering us as well. But we're not entirely sure how well he would listen to our bargaining. He has no queen still, thus it seems like our best chance is to arrange for the two of you to be married and lead our countries to merge naturally in the future.”

Her mother patted Mercia's shoulder. “Still, a great king like that would surely be able to take good care of you. And your children would rule the greatest kingdom of all; wouldn't that be magnificent? But we wanted to make sure you were okay with it first.”

But then she wouldn't have the choice, or the attention, or the romance... “Could I think it over for a while?” she asked. “I... I'm not sure what to say.”

Her father nodded. “Of course, dear. But please consider it carefully.”

Excusing herself from her parents, Mercia left the garden to find some of her friends, to go out and talk it over with them. They agreed that it was unfair that this was being done to her. She couldn't live her dream if she just agreed to marry a man she'd never met, or even really heard of before today. However, there was still the chilling thought of what might happen to Anistar if the king of Kalos refused their pleas for peace. If she followed her dream, she'd have to accept that one day, this choice might end up with people dying to keep Anistar free. Was it worth giving up her independence and the independence of her kingdom to ensure that didn't happen?

...yes, it was.

* * *

When it came to the palace at Heavenly Mountain, there were things the Floette loved and hated about it. He loved the big airy spaces on the innermost rooms, but hated the big heavy walls in the outermost rooms. Those were a reminder that this place was made for war. He loved the way it was so above everything else, even the mountain's own peak, that they could look down over everything seemingly forever. But he hated the way that they only lived here when they needed the defense because people might be out to kill AZ. While it was nice some times, he preferred to be in the country palace where it meant things were calmer.

AZ was upset today and not much was working to cheer him up. Some people from lands they had conquered had been in here earlier, trying to get AZ to change some laws or make exceptions for particular towns. Since they had been so stubborn about it, AZ had to yell at them for a bit to make them see sense that laws had to be the same for everyone or it wasn't fair. Now he was the only human in the throne room, brooding over what had to be done.

The Floette had tried dancing in the air and singing, but it didn't work like it had when AZ had been a kid. He ended up landing on a perch on the throne that had been placed specifically for him to be at eye-level to AZ. “Aw, you're doing what's right,” he said. “It stinks sometimes, but like you've said, it has to be done. It'll be worth it when our days are carefree again.”

Reaching up to tap the Floette's lily, AZ said, “Sorry if I’m getting you sad too.” He sighed and slumped down. “''''', do you ever wonder if this was Xeneas trying to make trouble for us? He said it would make peace if this was all one kingdom instead of many. I thought once other people saw the logic behind my changes, they'd agree that it was for the best for everyone. But they're all still stuck thinking only of themselves.”

“I don't know all of what this is about, but what I do know makes sense to me,” he said.

AZ put his hand on his chin. “I know it's making many peoples' lives better. I see them on the streets in towns that have been a part of Kalos for a while, free to live their lives as they want to, without worrying about how those in charge will interfere with them. Some of them have come and thanked me, saying that they weren't allowed to do anything but what the smaller authorities wanted them to do, but now they can change their lives and do what they want. Like that couple who were going to open a tavern finally; they'd been stopped by their former king who insisted on controlling every shop that sold food in any form, so they had to send their profits to him and follow his ridiculous restraints. People aren't stupid. They know what they're best at and I just need to make a safe and fair system for them to work in, not control them with personal interests.”

“They were happy,” the Floette said, slipping off the perch and floating around in front of AZ's view. “So be happy that it's working! It's still more work, but we'll do it.”

“I just can't help but wonder if I'm going about this the wrong way and really am causing these people more grief than I had to,” he said.

The sound of a bell announced someone coming into the room. Two messengers came in, one holding onto a painting of some sort. “Your majesty, we've just gotten an offer from the king of Anistar. The details are in here, but it seems they're offering their daughter in marriage as a peace agreement.”

“Is that so?” AZ said, taking the large envelope he'd been handed. “And that?”

“It's a painting of Princess Mercia, your majesty,” the second messenger said, turning it around so they could see it. She had long blue hair braided with strands of white pearls and flowers, but pale skin like humans tended to get when they spent too much time inside. “We weren't sure where you'd want it.”

“There's a frame holder around here for displaying maps on,” AZ said, glancing back. “Put it on there for now; I'll figure out where to place it later.”

The servants located the holder to put it on so it wasn't on the floor, then left him alone to consider the offer. The Floette went over to sniff the painting. As the paint smell was strong, it must have been freshly done. “She could use more color, I think,” he said. “And more flowers instead of rocks.”

After looking through all the papers, AZ was too busy thinking to be upset again. “This does seem like an ideal solution for this, albeit one that will only work once. Then again, they already seem reasonable and her letter shows a strong sense of honor. 'I believe this is best for our people and for us...' Besides, people are expecting me to get married sometime soon. I wonder if I should write a letter tonight to send to her, at least to say I’m considering it and want to know more about her before committing myself like this.”

“Isn't marriage one of those things humans made up to do things differently than Pokemon?” the Floette asked, floating back over to his perch. “But people have talked about it like it's really important, so I guess you'd have to think about it more.”

“I probably should,” AZ said to his own thoughts. “And if I do take this, they're being very generous in offering their only child as my wife. I should do something extra for them in appreciation.”

* * *

It was the day of the royal wedding, and also the day they would first see each other in person. A week ago, AZ had traveled to Anistar to formalize the peace treaty and to offer his gift for the country's generosity: a huge calendar and clock made of crystal that he'd created with Xerneas' assistance. It used the light of the sun, as well as a few secret methods, in order to accurately display the time of year and time of day on a complex sundial. Although everyone said it was a magnificent gift, Mercia hadn't come out to see him at that time and insisted on traveling with her friends instead of in AZ's carriage. But she and her parents had come back with him to the country palace outside of Lumiose for the wedding.

Mercia's nerves were frayed all day. While her new handmaidens were helping her get into her dress, she burst into tears. “He really is a giant!” she said to her mother. “What if it turns out he's violent and hits me? I couldn't deal with that.”

Her mother took her hand and patted it. “I'm sure he won't, dear. You really should have gone out to meet him. His mannerisms might take some getting used to, but it's always that way with marriage. He seems like a respectable and warmhearted man to me, very thoughtful too.”

“He really did want to meet with you, but respected your requests to be left alone,” one of the handmaidens said.

“I don't know, people can change when you get close to them,” Mercia said, covering her face. “Should I really be doing this? I'm too worried, how can this be right?”

“It's okay,” her mother said, trying to reassure her. “I was nervous at my wedding too, since I didn't know him well either. But we grew to love each other and I'm sure you two can do the same.”

In another room, AZ felt nervous too, but kept quiet about it for the most part. “It might be a good sign, but just because it's been quiet so far doesn't mean anything,” he told the knight who came in to report to him about conditions around the castle. “It's a significant event, so those troublemakers might find it a prime time to attack us. Don't let your guard down, any of you. And make sure that's clear to everyone on patrol.”

The knight saluted. “Yes, your majesty.” On confirming that the report was done, he left the room to talk to the castle guards.

Now that he was alone with his Pokemon for the most part, AZ held his hand up for the Floette to land on. “I hope I've got this all right,” he said. “I'm not sure of what all she expects me to do once we're married.”

“Cross-pollination’s a lot easier than all this,” the Floette said, wishing he could be understood. “Not much you humans do is easy. But you're human, so I'm sure you'll learn it all quick.”

The ceremony went just fine, with no interruptions. The bride and groom were awkward around each other, but neither of them stalled on the words they were supposed to say or thought to back out at the last minute. Once it was done, everyone went to the ballroom for a dance, starting off with AZ and Mercia alone. No toes were stepped on, neither was there any tripping, but after that one dance the two agreed to go off to the side and talk instead of dancing more.

Some time into the dance, Leonidas got the attention of one of the bride's friends. He'd been pretty bored and it had been a last minute decision for him to come after all. He suspected that he'd only been invited because he was AZ's sole surviving family member, since he'd not spoken to his brother once today. Not that he was inclined to. But he might as well see if he could impress one of the young women there so this wasn't a total waste of time.

“I'm really surprised she actually went through with it,” Mercia's friend said to him after a while. “She was thinking even just yesterday of running off to live a life of adventure. And I would've gone with her too! She should've just gone with being her own person. But I suppose it's admirable to go with this kind of obligation too.”

“Is that so?” Leonidas asked. He really was interested in hearing this. So the new queen didn't have her heart entirely in this...

“Yeah,” the friend said, nodding. “Aw man, her parents were going to have this big challenge or contest or something to choose her husband instead and it was going to be the biggest event around! We would've laughed at some of the losers who'd sign up for the chance at marrying a princess and cheered on those she was into. She was really looking forward to having somebody come in and sweep her off her feet with flowers and public declarations of love and all that. With all the fellows that would've shown up, surely there'd be one like that for her.”

Leonidas smiled, then took her arm and pulled her closer. “I’m sure you'd get quite a crowd at a contest to win your hand in marriage too, you unexpected beauty.” She laughed in delight and eventually did tell him more about what Mercia was really like.

The wedding went off just fine, but more than one person felt like something was missing from it.

* * *

AZ really liked Mercia. Maybe loved her, it was hard to tell. In many ways, knowing her was a new experience. She wasn't someone he dealt with either as a servant or as someone connecting to his work as king, but she also soon got over his different-ness in size and treated him as a normal person. He liked talking with her over meals or in the evening, about books, art, flowers, and many different things. But at times, he wasn't quite sure what to say to her.

One day in early spring, he took a break to take Mercia and his Pokemon out to the castle gardens. He had an idea that he'd been thinking over for a while. “How about we take a few days to get you a Pokemon friend too?”

Mercia looked at him in surprise. “Really? Why?”

“They're great friends and support when you take the effort to make a bond with them,” AZ said. His Floette cheered and whirled around in the air. “Plus they can protect you if you get in trouble. Mostly, I’ll likely be away from the castle for some time. I'll be sure to come back, and that enough guards are left here to keep you safe. But I’d feel better knowing that you had good company in a Pokemon.”

“I've never really been around many Pokemon until I came here,” she said. “My parents didn't allow them in the castle because they're messy.”

“That's not a problem if you train them properly,” he said. “I'll be around long enough to help you with that. What kind are you interested in? I know which ones that live around here naturally.”

She sat back in the garden chair and thought about it. “Hmm, well... I suppose a pretty one. Oh, I've heard that there's these bug Pokemon that grow to have really big colorful wings, and people have seen all kinds of patterns to them.”

“You mean a Vivavillon?”

Mercia nodded. “That sounds right. It'd be nice if I could get a unique one.”

“Actually, this should be a good time of year to find a Scatterbug, its youngest form, around wooded areas,” AZ said. “It's a pretty Pokemon too, I think. But it's had to tell what kind of pattern the Vivavillion will have until it evolves into one, and there's no changing it from there. You could still become good friends with it in that time, though.”

She smiled. “That could be fun. You'll help me find one?”

He smiled back, glad she wanted to do this. “Sure, and if it's just a Scatterbug you're looking for, we could find two or three if you want.”

“It'd be great if they all were different!” She seemed excited, but after a moment, her smile faded. “We could do that later. But, well... AZ? Why won't you kiss me?”

That puzzled him. “Why would I kiss you?”

Now she was the puzzled one. “Because we're married. That's a normal thing married people do.”

AZ shrugged. “Well, it'd be difficult with our difference in height, wouldn't it? And I don't see what's so interesting about kissing.”

She had to think for a moment, as she didn't expect to have to explain this basic thing to him. “But it's a sign of how much you love a person... and how happy you are to be with them.”

“How is it connected to happiness?” he wondered aloud. “Aren't you interfering with someone else's breathing being that close to them? And what if you get a bit of drool? That's disgusting.”

“Well it sounds disgusting when you put it that way,” she agreed. “But it's different when you actually kiss... so I hear. Won't you kiss me?”

He still didn't seem to want to, but since she wanted to, he agreed to try. And still didn't get the point of it once they had actually kissed. However, it seemed to be the wrong thing since she didn't seem as excited to go out looking for a Pokemon afterwards.

* * *

Scatterbug was kind of pretty, Mercia thought as she watched the one she had crawl around the library floor near her. Around its neck, there was a cute little ruff of fur. But it had a weird face, especially the eyes. Or the mouth, mostly hidden against its black shell. Or the nose which only existed as tiny holes. And it moved weird too, shuffling its feet so it seemed to be moving like waves and flexing its antennae around to touch everything. Maybe it would look far better when it finally got wings as a Vivavillon.

And maybe her marriage would all come together when... well she wasn't sure when, just that this was not what she'd been expecting at all. On the bright side, AZ wasn't violent around her at all. He obviously cared for her. The little things he did for her, like helping her befriend this Scatterbug, getting after the castle chef when she wasn't pleased with a meal, and giving her full reign over redecorating a number of rooms, those were endearing. But there were so many other things that bothered her about him. Like how he was gone to war now, and would likely be gone until winter caused a slowdown in all military matters. Or how he seemed so bothered by shows of affection. She'd tried to massage his hand the other day because he'd been complaining about stiffness after working, just his hand, and he'd jerked it away and wouldn't let her touch him. And how did someone feel nothing from a kiss?

He'd even given her a separate bedroom and wouldn't hear of sharing one with her. This was not going to work how things were. Sooner or later, somebody would start asking questions and she had no idea how to answer them. But she also wasn't sure how to change AZ's mind if he was so quick to shut her out.

“Good afternoon, your majesty,” someone called out with a knock to a nearby bookshelf. It was the king's brother, standing there with an iris in a thin elegant vase.

“Good afternoon, Leonidas,” Mercia said, nodding. She didn't see much of him, but it was best to be polite with her in-laws, especially when there was only one to deal with.

He smiled warmly and came over to her. “Just call me Leo if things are informal. Here, I’ve brought you a flower to brighten your day.” He set the iris vase next to her on the floor, causing the Scatterbug to become interested in it.

“Was that AZ's request?” If he'd do a romantic gesture like this while he was gone, things might be more hopeful.

“No, it was something I wanted to do after seeing you looking dismal earlier today,” he said. “Such sadness doesn't suit a lovely girl like you. Cheer up and you'll be sure to find ways to turn things around.”

Not wanting to encourage him too much, she smiled a little. “Thanks, but are you sure you should be doing that?”

“It's fine, I'm sure my brother will understand that I just want to keep your spirits up. See you around, pretty Mercia.” He bowed and left the library.

The Scatterbug stretched up and tried to nip at the iris petals, so Mercia picked the vase up and put it on a pedestal nearby. Maybe Leo wasn't too bad. If anything, he'd be a friend when AZ wasn't around. As he kept bringing her a new flower every day, though, it seemed less innocent. Mercia resisted his attempts at flirting with her. While it did cheer her to have gifts of flowers, she was married and she needed to keep her love for the king. Somehow, if she could get him to accept it.

But it was someone who obviously wanted her affection against someone who was repelled by it...


	18. What Is Remembered

    _Most of us in Professor Sycamore's homeroom really got into the research into Mega Evolution. Some were interested in getting that special apprenticeship, others were simply curious abut the phenomenon. I thought it would be interesting, but didn't seriously consider it for myself and my team. Even so, I went out on all the class trips for it; back to the art museum to consider another painting as evidence, hunting around libraries and old bookstores for any references, even to another scientific lab where a group of Pokemon experts with Sycamore discussed with us how evolution was believed to work and how Mega Evolution was theoretically tied to it._
    
    _All through the school year, the Parfum Palace library owned by Owain de Kalos remained a strong possibility. He collected many items related to Kalos royalty and legends, including mega evolution. In the spring semester, we decided that we really should check that place out. But given the price for a school group staying over a weekend and our limited homeroom budget, we had to put together a fund raising event to be able to take the opportunity._
    
     It was Saturday morning and several students from Professor Sycamore's homeroom were in the school kitchen. The room was noisy and boisterous, with the cooks working on lunch and helping out the students, who chatted and measured and mixed to make lots of goodies for a bake sale. While it was a simple idea, putting up a table in the school cafeteria and another out in a charitable cafe seemed like a good way to get the money for the class trip. Besides, there was always the chance to sneak away with some of the misshapen cookies to snack on later.
    
    “I want to make this one look like my Litleo,” Shauna said, taking a tube of black frosting to the cupcake in front of her. “Cause she's cute.”
    
    “Pokemon faces would be good with the smiley faces we already made,” Calem said, thinking. “I wonder if I could make a Haunter face, or if Gastly would be easier.”
    
    “A Haunter one would be cool,” Trevor said, working on his face cupcake.
    
    “Why is yours sticking its tongue out?” Tierno asked, looking at Trevor's current work.
    
    “Um, I thought it'd be funny,” he said, uncertain.
    
    “Maybe, but somebody might think that the cupcake's making fun of them,” Shauna said, sounding serious (although a glimmer in her eyes showed it was in jest). “Who'd want to eat a cupcake that's mocking them?”
    
    “Well it would teach that cupcake for being so rude. I'd bite its face off,” Calem said with equal seriousness, making his friends laugh. He smiled at the result.
    
    Sycamore wandered past them with a bowl of bread batter in his hands. “Oh hey, that one looks like I do sometimes, don't you think?” He then stuck out his tongue at a silly angle, making them laugh harder. “Nice work. Hey, who shut off the radio? We need music to cook properly! And you're just going to force me to sing.”
    
    “Aaaah, turn the radio on!” Shauna cried in mock horror.
    
    Sycamore laughed and started singing intentionally poorly; it was one of those great days. Just then, Sina walked into the kitchen with a young woman dressed like a gypsy. “Oh hey all, guess what?” Sina said happily. “This is a friend of mine from when I was in the academy, Kelsey, and she agreed to help out with your fundraiser.”
    
    “That's marvelous,” Sycamore said, now pouring the bread batter into pans. “Did you hear about our research project?”
    
    She nodded. “On mega evolutions? Of course, that's why I wanted to help all of you. I know a little something,” she smiled and put a finger to her lips like it was a secret. “I can view the cherished memories of Pokemon and tell you how well you really understand them. If you're going to try for mega evolution, it's something you should know about.”
    
    “Wow, that's amazing,” Shauna said. “Thanks for helping us!”
    
    With Kelsey's offer, they had a fortune teller's booth alongside the bake sale table in the cafeteria. More accurately, a memory retrieval booth because that was her specialty. It was immediately popular, as word soon spread to bring in students who'd normally have a weekend lunch elsewhere. Even people who didn't attend the school showed up. Sycamore suggested that the class members should really take advantage of her offer, hinting that it would affect the apprenticeship choosing somehow.
    
    Fortunately, Calem and his friends decided to talk to her early on, before there was a line all the way down the hall waiting for her. She had a few brown curtains set up near the wall, closing off the table where she sat for privacy. On the small square table, she kept nothing more than a tall candle in a glass lamp and a metal case for cash covered with a white handkerchief. Not very dramatic, but her ability was mystical enough to not need extra props to make it look good.
    
    “Please sit down,” Kelsey said when Calem came into the booth. “You were one of Sycamore's students, correct? I'll read three Pokemon for free, but any more will cost the normal price. How many Pokemon do you want me to see?”
    
    “I have six,” he said, still uncertain on one. “I’d like if you could check all of them, but one of them could be difficult. He's special.”
    
    “Let's leave him for last and I’ll see how it goes,” Kelsey said. “Give me their Pokeballs one at a time and I’ll tell you about one of their precious memories.”
    
    “Okay,” he said, handing her Swift's white Premiere Ball first.
    
    She clasped the Pokeball in both of her hands. Soon she had a smile on her face as if she was remembering something good from her own life. “I see a bus ride when she was surprised to be allowed on the seat like a human. You were nervous and afraid of something, so she looked you in the eye and wanted for you not to be so. And you thanked her for it. You two had only known each other a few days, but she already knew you were one she could take pride in being loyal to.”
    
    Calem smiled at that. “Oh yeah, that's when I was coming here for the first time.”
    
    “Mmhmm,” Kelsey nodded, handing the Pokeball back. Next, he gave her Percival's Luxury Ball. “This Pokemon... he was in a battle with a Murkrow who mocked him for being easily scared. He got upset, but then you gave him some words of encouragement that let him toughen up and fight back better. You had spoken kindly to him many times before, but it was around that battle when just hearing your voice became enough to reassure him and even let him face his fears.”
    
    “It must have been last year since I dropped out of battle club this year,” Calem said. As much as he wanted to be a good Pokemon Trainer, he worried now that any form of violence could be used as pressure by the Asari.
    
    “He would still fight for you, no matter what,” Kelsey said. The next one she saw was Nibbles' Great Ball. “This Pokemon, I see a sunny day where you and others were sitting in a field. You started blowing soap bubbles and she was so amazed by it that she carefully caught one in her pincers to find out what it was. You smiled and praised her for it, but then it popped and surprised both of you.” She chuckled. “Some Pokemon have very different ideas of what makes for a memory to cherish.”
    
    “It's sweet of her to remember something like that,” Calem said, although he didn't remember it himself. He took back Nibbles and gave her Yorick's Pokeball.
    
    “This one feels familiar,” she said with a playful smile. “Ah, you have Yorick? I'm jealous; always thought a clever Pokemon like him would be valuable on a team. Anyhow... in the battle rooms, some other students were complaining about having Yorick become a regular in the battle club. He was delighted at the reactions he was getting, but most delighted when you told them that he was much cooler than the Pokemon they had. He felt like he'd made the right choice in deciding to go with you.”
    
    “I heard he interrupted a play and that's where he got the name,” Calem said as he took the Pokeball back.
    
    Kelsey laughed. “I remember that! It was so boring until he showed up. I tried to catch him a few times, but he'd always tease me and run off. Who else do you have?” He gave her Starlet's Gym Ball, so she calmed down and absorbed herself in the Mawile's memories. “I see... a forest floor with glowing mushrooms? No, that's the Laverre Gym. You were singing a lullaby to a sickly Ralts and she was impressed that a boy would be so tender to a young Pokemon. Her respect for you was solid from that time on.”
    
    “Oh yeah, that would have been when she started working with us better,” Calem said. “I didn't think I'd take her from the Gym, but then I really didn't want to part with her at the end of that summer.”
    
    “She's glad you did,” Kelsey said, handing the Gym Ball back over. “Really, these five Pokemon are all devoted to you. If you got back into battling, you'd be an impressive group who'd overcome many obstacles. But, you said there was one more that could be hard?”
    
    He nodded and gave her Mortan's Ultra Ball. “Yes, he's older than he seems.”
    
    Her eyes widened immediately. “Yes, indeed... this Pokemon remembers a lot of things. Oh, are you trying to help? Thank you.” She closed her eyes. “I see... you both were in a second-hand store and he became interested in a box with a number of rings. You then picked out the smallest one there and put it on his head as a joke. He knew it was silly, but it made him happy and like you more for it... for treating him like a normal Pokemon.” She handed the ball back over. “Wow, that was really different. It's odd; I can tell that his strongest bond is not with you. However, he has great hope in you and would choose to stay with you on his own, unless he saw the one he has a stronger bond with.”
    
    “That's fine,” Calem said, setting the ball back in his holder. “It makes sense to me and I know why he feels that way. I'd rather see him with his other friend too, but I'm taking care of him in the meantime.”
    
    “You really would be an exceptional trainer to battle,” Kelsey said with a smile. “You should reconsider it at least. You'll be able to count on your Pokemon in any situation.”
    
    “I'm glad to hear that,” Calem said, getting out some money to pay her for the three readings.
    
    As he was going back over to the bake sale table, Teirno got up and waved to him. “Hey Calem! I just remembered about something when I went to see her a little while ago.”
    
    “Well that's kind of the point of her ability, isn't it?” he said jokingly.
    
    He laughed, but then brought out one of his Pokeballs. “Yeah! Well, you know my Swirlix? He can evolve, but only under trade conditions and with a specific item. I finally found the item he needs a couple weeks back, but I still need to trade him. And you have that Haunter too, so I thought we'd trade them for the evolutions then trade back so we can keep them.”
    
    “That sounds like a great deal,” Calem said. With that, he was able to get Yorick as a Gengar.
    
    

* * *

    
    With the proceeds from the bake sale and Kelsey's memory readings, the entire class was able to go to Parfum Palace two weeks later. It was as amazing as before, perhaps more exciting because they had free access to more areas of the palace. They were allowed to stay for one night in various guest rooms and have their meals in the grand dining hall. While their purpose there was to look through the library, Sycamore said they were free to explore as long as they logged in about three hours studying.
    
    So on Saturday afternoon, Calem went out to the labyrinth gardens with his Pokemon and goofed around. It was a nice day; the sun was warm and a number of spring blossoms colored nooks and crannies of the hedge mazes. He ended up laying on the ground watching the clouds idly for a while. Nearby, Nibbles was making holes in the dirt. But a look at its disturbed and uneven surface showed that she wasn't the only one digging in that spot, so he let her be.
    
    Shauna eventually found him. “Hey what're you doing?” she said, leaning over him.
    
    “Being lazy,” he said. “Classes have been rough this week, and I already spent two hours in the library. So if anybody complains about it, I’m not listening.”
    
    She laughed, then plopped down on the ground beside him. “That sounds like a good idea. Are you making shapes out of the clouds?”
    
    “Not really. That'd be doing something. What're you doing?”
    
    “I was in the library; I got all three hours in! But then just sitting around inside on a sunny day like this is boring! I came back here to let my Pokemon run, and I’d run after them. But then I found you, so here I am.”
    
    “Yeah, I couldn't sit around indoors either,” Calem said, closing his eyes. “Lying around out here, that's a different matter.”
    
    “Sure is.” She looked over at him. “Hey, so we get to have lots of optional classes next year, right? What're you gonna pick?”
    
    Calem shrugged. “Dunno. They don't have any classes that'll teach you to be a superhero.” When she laughed, he opened his eyes and looked at her. “What? It's a perfectly reasonable career choice. Somebody's got to go around and fight evil or evil will overrun everything.”
    
    “You'd be an awesome superhero,” Shauna said, grinning. “Although, you don't see superheros around cause you don't see evil villains around cackling and make evil plans like they do in cartoon shows. And you might not want to be a superhero if that meant a supervillain was going to show up.”
    
    “Yeah, that's a troubling flaw in my plans at the moment,” he said. “Seriously, I really don't know what classes to take. I hope Sycamore will advise us like earlier. I kind of want to get into Pokemon battle classes or stuff that would let me explore around and help people. You know, like how rangers go out on dangerous routes and help out trainers who get in trouble a long ways from town.”
    
    “Being a ranger would be cool,” she agreed.
    
    “Yeah, although I don't think the red uniform would suit me. What classes are you looking to take?”
    
    “I want to travel around the world someday,” Shauna said. “See all kinds of places, meet all kinds of people. I dunno what'll help me most, but a little bit of everything could help. Maybe I’ll take all the introduction level classes so I know lots of things.”
    
    “Can you even do that in three years?”
    
    “Maybe, maybe not. I wonder if there's travel related classes, hmm. But then, I still want to be a music star too! So I'll definitely stick with music class. Hey, maybe I'll take drama too? Because it would be good to know how to use magic to be even showier.”
    
    “You already know how to do that.” There was a happy clicking from Nibbles, causing Calem to prop himself up on his elbow and check on her. The Pinsir was now bouncing a small rock with her short arms. “Find one you like?” he asked, although he wondered about it. She usually set stones aside neatly if she was digging in dirt.
    
    _As it turned out, Nibbles had pulled a piece of Pinsirite from the loose ground. It's a curious mineral. Some such rocks will react to the presence of Pokemon, increasing their power a little. But it's such a little difference that most Trainers would rather use another accessory. Pokemon-specific rocks like Pinsirite are uncommon, but since they aren't favored for use in anything, they're virtually worthless. But Nibbles liked it, so I had it formed into a simple accessory for her in the following week._
    
    _After that on that day, well... I remember that one of Owain's Furfrous came up to us eventually and got mad because Nibbles had been digging at its favored dig spot. I might have had her battle it? I'm not sure. It's funny, what is remembered and what isn't. I'm not even sure why I’m talking about this conversation Shauna and I had. It was... well, there was something important that occurred during that visit to Parfum Palace, two things I want to mention. It was when I went back into the library in the evening to study, and then later on during the night._
    
    

* * *

    
     A number of his classmates had already gone through the library, looking for books to help on their research project. A few, like Trevor, were still in here reading. Calem started looking over the shelves of books for something to read himself, but a conversation between the others got his attention.
    
    “The part speaks of a succession ceremony involving the passing on of a mega ring at the Tower of Mastery at Shalour,” Trevor said “I’ve read references to it before and thought it might just be a proof of membership of this exclusive group. But with how this words it... 'With the ring comes the power to unlock untapped potential in Pokemon of the right mind and temperament,' that could suggest that the mega ring is involved directly in mega evolution.”
    
    “It'd be a good reason for those names,” a girl said.
    
    Another boy said, “And if you have to use a ring to get a mega evolution, that would explain the limited spread of this power. I mean, who wouldn't try to make their Pokemon more powerful to win? But what's it mean by 'Pokemon of the right mind and temperament'?”
    
    The others continued to talk, but the spine of a book caught Calem's attention. It was bound in a red cover, with white lettering that had bits of gold from its original state. With those letters, it said, 'The Collected Essays, Letters, and Poems of Leonidas Lysandre de Kalos'. He took the book off the shelf and, finding a nearby step ladder, sat down to flip through the pages. It appeared to be a reprint of a very old book, which itself reproduced and commented on the works of the ancient king, and AZ's younger brother.
    
    Once he found the section of poems, it didn't take long for him to locate the poem 'Glitter and shine lovely Kalos'. It even had a copy of the Geosenge weapon diagram. However, the commentator had misinterpreted the diagram. The book said that it was a symbolic picture of a lily, with the innocent flower disguising what had been done to allow it to grow. Although considering the situation between AZ and Leonidas, the symbolism still worked. On the page following, there was an interesting dissection of the poem.
    ...

_Glitter and shine lovely Kalos/Show me your dark and bloody heart_ : In this time, the wars and conflicts which led to the unifying of the Kalos region we know today are seen as necessary and a good thing to have happened. Under the reign of AZ, though, there were many who hated the idea and fought viciously to keep the independence of their small lands. Both AZ and Leonidas claimed it was necessary to build a beautiful, peaceful, and prosperous land. However, from this poem and a few others, it can be seen that Leonidas at least recognized the shamefulness of what had to be done to build our nation. It became a conflict in his heart, which is summed up in these two lines.

_Golden mask hides a face of fear_ : It has been a surprise to this scholar at least, but from Letter 63 in this collection, we find that this line may actually refer to Leonidas' brother AZ. In the letter, written in his last year of life, he expressed regret that he never tried understanding his brother while he was alive. It seems that outside of his role as king, AZ had a difficult time getting along with others ever since he was a child. Some of Leonidas' earlier poems would refer to AZ as 'a monster with a golden mask' due to how many revered AZ as an exceptional king loved by the gods but the brothers never got along well.

In this change, it seems that Leonidas was trying to figure his brother out due to guilt in pushing him to the extreme measures that ultimately killed AZ. In Letter 63, he also mentions 'I'm not sure if it was fear of others entirely, but I recall when we were boys, he would occasionally get fearful of how others treated him. I'm sure I hurt him in that regard even early in life.'

_Silver words tell a tale of hate_ : This line is indisputably about Queen Mercia, who was married to AZ but is known to have had an affair with Leonidas, eventually betraying him as well. She was considered the most beautiful woman in Kalos at the time and was known to be well-spoken as well. While this line does display a deep pain for her reactions, an untitled essay (listed under 'On Mercia' in this collection) does show that she could not be completely blamed for the troubles caused by the love triangle. An older Leonidas admits that he knew that marriage between Mercia and AZ was chaste and political in nature, so he sought her attention as a way of harming his brother. Once the marriage was broken, there was little that held Mercia and Leonidas together; his decreasing attention to her caused her to feel betrayed and hated first.

_Live in the moment, the past hurts_ : See the poem 'Schedule for Today' for a more in-depth look on the idea in this line, as Leonidas describes his feelings that if he didn't focus on his immediate work and surroundings, thinking on events of his early years would drive him mad with guilt.

_Life is cruel, death is instant/A black flower blooms._ : This pair of lines appears to be a reference to the instance where the legendary weapon combined with the death of Yveltal led to the immense tragedy that ended the wars that formed Kalos. The symbolism of the last line is linked to Luken, a Pokemon associated with AZ; we know this from other sources that say that Luken's white flower turned black upon his death, which is said to be the trigger to AZ creating the legendary weapon. However, as the tale has been told and retold, Luken's presence in the story has diminished over the generations. The Pokemon's name has even been lost to common knowledge, left only in the memory and research of scholars.

Because of this natural change in the story told, the last line is often a puzzle to those who would read Leonidas' poems. In recent decades, a notorious self-named poet has reworded lines in many poems on the claim of making them better. This is debatable, usually on the side of not being worth mentioning in a scholarly work. But due to his work, the form of this poem commonly known today ends with the line _Yveltal's wings cover the sky_ in place of the reference to Luken.

...

After reading this, Calem went back to the front of the book to check on when it had been written originally. About two thousand years ago, it seemed. Then the poem had changed quite some time ago and without this book, it would likely be near impossible to find its original form. Then there was the matter of the Pokemon's name.

Calem glanced around and spotted Mortan checking over the books too. He held his hand up to get the Floette's attention, then waved him over. When he landed on the edge of the book, he whispered, “Your name was Luken, right?”

Mortan gaped at him for a moment, then looked down at the title page of the book. “Oh.... oh yeah, it was.” He sighed. “Well I didn't expect to hear that name used for me again until I met with AZ. So, just keep calling me Mortan. It doesn't feel right, having anyone else call me that.”

“If that's what you want,” he said. “I found the version you know in here, you know, of that poem. Looks like it was changed nearly two thousand years ago.”

“I see.” He floated off and waved his paw, so Calem flipped through the book for him. “Leonidas, huh? I... well I still don't like him. Can't say that I hate him at this point, though. I know he changed a lot after AZ used the weapon in Geosenge and that he was considered a respectable king.”

“Can't blame you for not liking him after what he did to you,” Calem said.

Mortan nodded. “Most people have good and bad parts about them... oh wait, this book has his illustrations? Because there's one I can think of that might help with your class project.”

“Well it had the one we saw,” Calem said, flipping back to the title page, then one by one from there. If it was like some older books he'd already referenced, then it should... it did have a list of illustrations. And among them was 'the mega ring artifact'. “Oh, the group over there was just talking about that.” He turned to the page listed and found not just the diagram, but quite a commentary on the mega ring.

…

_Illustration of the mega ring artifact_ : On reviewing the fragile old books of Leonidas for preservation in this volume, it came of immense surprise to this scholar to find this illustration of the mega ring. We know that around one hundred years ago, Xerneas granted the mega ring to the priestess Theodora, as well as taught her a secret rite that would allow her to temporarily empower her loyal Lucario partner, to help overcome the incredible odds she faced. Theodora then passed on the mega ring and the secret rites to one of her followers, and so it has been handed down in secret. It was only known that a Lucario could accomplish this miracle.

But according to this diagram and its accompanying notes, there was another mega ring in existence in the first years of Kalos. This one belonged to a knight in the service of AZ, but he did not use the mega ring with a Lucario. He used it with an Abomasnow. With the tremendous power granted by the mega ring, they were known for causing blizzards on battlefields even in the driest and hottest periods of summer. The shock of the sudden chilly blast was often enough for them to gain control of any situation, unless it was winter and thus their opponents were already prepared for the cold. Leonidas' notes also indicate that the knight had been unable to use the mega ring with a new partner Abomasnow, but was able to overcome the difficulty in time.

There may be a second mega ring out there that works on an Abomasnow rather than a Lucario. Or, since the story seems to have been lost to time and no mention of the powerful Abomasnow form has come up again, Xerneas may have reclaimed the mega ring to bestow it on a worthy soul centuries later. But if it is the same mega ring, it appears that it can work on more than just one Pokemon. What other Pokemon can the mega ring work with?

Unfortunately, those who hold the mega ring keep their lips tightly sealed, thus we can only speculate on its true potential. This diagram has been shown to jewelers and charm craftsmen in hopes of some insight, but only speculation has come out of it. Not only that, but Leonidas himself makes very little mention of it in his writings, at least those of which have been found for this collection. It seems this is a secret kept by the gods and a chosen few, and will stay that way for the foreseeable future.

…

After reading it, Calem marked the spot with his thumb and took it over to the others in the library. Mortan followed quietly. “Hey, you were talking about a mega ring earlier?” Calem asked. “I found a reference to a mega ring, possibly two, and it looks like mega evolution can be used with Abomasnow too.”

“Really?” Trevor asked. Calem nodded and handed the book to him, opening it to the illustration and commentary. “Oh wow... this agrees with what we've been finding. We should definitely show this to the professor.”

It turned out to be a reference that even Sycamore hadn't come across, so they eventually convinced Owain to let the school borrow the book for a couple of weeks.

* * *

Danger... danger... danger all around you. You need to fight back. You must. You'll be killed if you don't fight.

Things were so murky. What light he saw was like fog, muted and not doing much to clear the obscuring dark. But Calem did see figures in the murkiness, some moving, others not. After a moment, they all seemed to be corpses, all leather and bone shambling along. What was happening? His thoughts felt blurry and he wasn't sure where he was.

Fight them, kill the monsters. You'll be killed if you don't. Kill them first.

But killing was dangerous. It was, wasn't it? Calem tried to remember, but it was all so blurry. Then, one of the freakish monsters, seemingly a glob of thick oil slithering along the floor, pointed to him and made a rude gesture. Why? Whatever the reason, he found it hard to focus on any of the creatures besides the oil thing. He got up from what seemed like a wooden exam table and followed it through a doorway.

It's going to attack! Attack it first! Don't be such a wimp, kill them all.

That wasn't right...

Suddenly, something clamped onto his arm. Calem panicked and tried to jerk his hand away, causing the jagged edges of whatever held him to dig into his skin. The oil creature then grabbed hold of him too and forced him onto the floor. Maybe the voice was right. But he knew something bad would happen if he listened to that voice. Who was it? What in the world was happening? Why...?

A burst of cold water hit his face, shocking his senses. The murkiness seemed to die off, leaving him in a dimly lit hallway lying on a cold hard floor. After a moment, he recognized that it was his own Pokemon holding him down. Swift was sitting on his chest and Mortan on her head, both trying to gauge how alert he was. From the violet smoke and familiar prickly-dirty-smoke feeling, Yorick was in the floor and holding onto his shoulders, keeping him pinned there. Starlet actually had his right arm in her steel jaw; she'd been trying to hold on gently, but his struggles had torn his skin. Nibbles was sitting on his left leg and not seeming sure of what was going on, while Percival paced around in the air, mumbling to himself. Strangest of all, Trevor's Meowstic Merlin was there too, coming from a nearby doorway.

_Kill them!_

And now he was seeing everything in a red tint, an overwhelming fury filling his mind. How dare they do this to him! He'd rip them to shreds for being obstinate like this. Mortan tried to hiss something at him, but Calem couldn't understand it in his rage. Starlet let go of his arm when he started struggling again, opting to go pin down his free leg instead. Not that it mattered, since Yorick's hold was the strongest. Merlin meowed and set something on Calem's forehead.

For a moment, Calem was aware of nothing but pain. It killed all the fight out of him. The pain soon died off, but shock held on longer. What had just happened? Was this just some crazy dream? But why such pain out of a dream?

The next thing he was really aware of was the sound of footsteps hurrying towards him. “Professor, we were just about to come get you,” Teirno said. “Something weird's going on with Calem.”

Professor Sycamore was then in view, his hand on his head. “Oh no. We hoped nothing would happen, but... what did you see? And it was just you five in this area... are all your Pokemon accounted for? And where's Serena?”

“She's off in the library talking with Lysandre,” Shauna said. “I dunno when he got in, but I couldn't sleep so I took a walk and heard them. Then I came back and saw Calem's Pokemon attacking him and that was just weird so I ran to get you.”

“Well it's not quite that they're attacking him,” Sycamore said, kneeling down and waving his hand to see if Calem was paying attention.

“Am I still dreaming?” Calem grumbled, closing his eyes. He hoped this was a dream, no matter how much it seemed like it wasn't. There was another spark of pain on his forehead.

“All of our Pokemon seem to be here,” Trevor said. “I don't know where he got the weird cloak, but I was just about asleep when I heard something go thump out here. Then Merlin was agitated and took one of my aura suppressors out into the hall. We got up and followed him, and Calem was out here like this. Merlin won't let me take the suppressor off his forehead and, um, it's only been a few minutes I think.”

“What's going on with him?” Shauna asked.

“We should explain things later,” Sycamore said, taking a moment to heal up the scratches on Calem's arm. “I need to get him back to the school, and I’ll have to take the suppressor there. It seems to be...” Then there was an audible spark from the suppressor, causing Trevor to jump back. “Might not last much longer,” Sycamore corrected. “You three watch over his Pokemon in the meantime.” There were sounds of protest from the six of them, but the professor shook his head. “Sorry, but we don't want to risk it tonight.”

“Wait, is he in the basement dorms?” Trevor asked, sounding scared.

“The what?” Shauna asked.

“Special rooms for students with dangerous magic,” Sycamore said. “And yes, he is. We'll explain later. Come on, Calem, time to go.”

“But Calem's not dangerous,” Shauna said.

Now that Yorick and the other Pokemon had let him go, Calem managed to get back onto his feet. He tried to hold the suppressor on this head, but his body felt weak. “I almost killed you all tonight,” Calem said, starting to cry. And to feel that intense fury again. “Almost... kill...” then Sycamore quickly latched the suppressor onto his head, almost cutting off the contact with the Asari will. The suppressor sparked as he started weeping in response, completely confused now.

Things weren't clear again until he heard the security door locking him into his dorm room. The suppressor’s strap finally broke under the effort and hit the floor, letting him hear the Asari spirits again. But they had to get through the school's noisy protective shields and not even his Pokemon were in the room with him this time.

_I still remember the horror of that night clearly. I'll probably never forget it._


	19. The Bond Between Human and Pokemon

For Sunday morning, Calem had been kept locked in his room. Not that he minded, with what had nearly happened in Parfum Palace. He hadn't been able to sleep much, so he cleaned his room and worked on homework. While he swept, he considered if it might be possible for him to swiftstep out of the room, what with him being able to sense the target. But he didn't want to consider the idea for long, in case he was driven to try it and fell under the Asari will.

The Asari... it was strange, after all the times Heinrich had called him out into the rain this year, Calem hadn't actually seen him for nearly two months now. It even rained at times, but he didn't call so Calem couldn't find him. Why was that? Clearly he hadn't been cut off from them, since last night happened. Was Heinrich in trouble with the other Asari for how he tried to resist them? Maybe he should return to the charnel house and see about calling on him. He might be waiting on that, for some reason. He was trying to be a bad teacher, so it might be like an assignment he hadn't been given any details or deadline on.

The school counselor checked in on him in the early afternoon, to see if it was safe to unlock the door. It seemed that his classmates were back and some were allowed to visit him here if there was no problem. Once they agreed it was fine, then he just had to wait on them to get down there for the door to be unlocked. Waiting always seemed to make time go by so slowly.

Eventually, there was a series of clicks from the door followed by a knock. “You all right with some visitors?” Professor Sycamore said.

“It's fine, come on in,” Calem called, getting up from where he'd been sitting. The door opened, but before he even saw Sycamore there, Nibbles darted in and nearly crashed into him in excitement. Calem laughed and hugged the Pinsir. “Good to see you too. I missed you all.”

His other Pokemon came in to, along with Sycamore, Shauna, Trevor, and Tierno. “They were really upset, but I told them to trust you,” Shauna said.

Calem nodded. “Yeah, it was a close call, but once I got back here, it wasn't as bad. Oh here's the aura suppressor Merlin gave me. I don't know if it can be repaired.” He passed over the cracked object to Trevor.

“I don't know either, but I usually don't need the head one anyhow,” he said. “Although it's amazing that you could break it. Even my powers couldn't do that.”

“It's not so much the power as the intellect behind the power,” Sycamore said. “And the fact that we don't know all that much about his condition. Calem, do you think you're up to telling them about it?”

“I'll try, but you'll know when to take over if they stop me,” he said, and then explained to his friends about the Asari bloodline and their curse.

There were several points where Sycamore took over from Calem, but he knew all that he'd learned so far. “The main point is, we know that Calem doesn't want to kill anyone,” Sycamore said at the end of it. “But his crazy ancestors can overtake him if given the chance. The native magic around Parfum Palace wasn't enough to interfere, although we hoped that the one night would be overlooked. And they seem to like for him to take out those closest to him, so all of us here are in more danger for knowing him.”

“Sheesh, they're really evil spirits aren't they?” Shauna asked.

“At this point, I'd only say that the eldest Asari is certainly evil,” Calem said. “Maybe a few others too. I've seen some good in the one that's been training me, but he has a tougher fight of it than I do.” And might have lost it; that was a disheartening thought. Starlet clasped his wrist, so he patted her. “My Pokemon have known about this for as long as I have, and they know they're targets. But they all stick by me. What happened last night, I think, is that one of them picked up on some troubling sign and they worked together to try incapacitating me without hurting me as much as possible. I was half-asleep for a good portion of it, so I didn't realize what was going on around me.”

“I won't leave you alone through this either, now that I know about it,” Trevor said. “It's dangerous, but it's not what you want. And besides, I just about have control over my magic instability because all of you have stuck by me and helped me out. It'd be good if we could do the same for you.”

“Yeah, we'll see about finding a way to beat the curse!” Shauna said, looking eager to get into this mystery.

“The only way I know for certain is to not kill anyone,” Calem said. “But that only frees me from their influence once I die. I could have just not learned about their powers like my father and grandfather. But I think that only extends the curse until it falls on someone who will kill. Maybe in learning how the powers work, I thought I might find a way to undo its hold further.”

“Man, this is some scary stuff,” Teirno said, scratched his neck. “I don't know if I could handle it and keep acting like I had a normal life like you do.”

“I don't know how well I'm acting like that,” Calem said. “You three noticed that I've been acting odd this year; it's been because of all this.”

“I wouldn't leave you alone either,” Teirno said, nodding. “Dunno if I can do much, but we can at least try to keep you cheerful, right guys?”

“Yeah, that's what we always do!” Shauna said, as Trevor nodded.

“Thanks guys,” Calem said, smiling. This didn't see so bad with his friends accepting his position.

“I'm sure you help out by just staying his friends,” Sycamore said. “This is a battle of wills and with all the strong bonds you have here, that will support him greatly.”

_I've heard some people say that believing in the power of friendship and such things is a childish trait and not helpful in the real world. But I disagree completely with those people. Having the loyal support of others and the love of friendship at their sides, many people have overcome tremendous odds they would not have been able to handle alone. I'm one such person. If I had continued to feel like an outsider like I did my first year, the Asari will would have crushed mine. But having my friends who would drag me off on unplanned fun adventures, as well as my Pokemon who proved that they'd fight even me to keep me from being corrupted, I could be a lot more confident in resisting my ancestors._

* * *

_At the end of our fourth school year, we had managed to catch up to most of Sycamore's research into mega evolution, plus a little extra that various members of class had found. We gave a presentation about it that was open to the entire school. What we knew at the time was that under certain conditions, Pokemon that should be fully evolved could undergo a temporary evolution to a more powerful form. Why this was so wasn't entirely clear yet, but we knew how it occurred as well as a few Pokemon like Lucario and Abomasnow which could attain this state._

_The Pokemon could not manage this alone; this was very clear after reviewing so much data. It would require a partner, most often a human but in a rare few cases it had occurred with a Pokemon partner. The partner needed a special artifact known as a mega ring, an item that might have divine origins. Whatever its origin is, there are very few known to exist. The Pokemon that was to actually use mega evolution also required some kind of accessory. We still weren't clear on that, as it was either a personal memento, an item crafted with the Pokemon specific minerals like the Pinsirite Nibbles had, or both. As long as the Pokemon and its partner were in close proximity, it would be able to access its more powerful state on some kind of trigger. That trigger was part of what the group who kept the tradition kept secret._

_Since we had done well, the guru of the Tower of Mastery formalized the invitation for one of us to become an apprentice. However, we had to take several tests for this first before we arrived in Shalour for the final decision. I took the tests, but given that I was studying the Asari powers, I wasn't too serious about getting the apprenticeship._

_Yes, I wasn't serious about it, and yet..._

“Given the knowledge, goals, and beliefs that you have demonstrated in the tests, only two of you match the qualifications necessary to apprentice at this tower,” the mega evolution guru said. He was an older gentleman, with snow white hair and neatly pressed clothes. “That would be Serena and Calem.”

“Huh?” Calem said quietly, looking back to the guru now that his mind wasn't wandering. This tower had a magic all its own and observing it through his enhanced senses was fascinating. Then there was what was physically there: the spiral staircase with all kinds of wall paintings alongside it, the giant statue of a Mega Lucario in the center, the stained glass windows far overhead, even the large screen TV sitting nearby. It had a silver-colored frame so that it didn't stand out too much in this ancient building.

A couple of others in the class seemed disappointed, but more than that seemed to accept it. “That's not too surprising,” Shauna said cheerfully. She'd said just yesterday that she wasn't interested, since mega evolution seemed to be primarily useful for battle and she wasn't planning on being a great battler. It seemed others felt similarly on finding more information about it. Over to the side, Serena had smiled proudly on hearing her name, but was now looking at him with a cool expression. There was a Lucario hanging out near her; Korrina was also a holder of a mega ring, so she was there to hold the ceremony and Neo had immediately clung to Serena again.

“But of course, we only have one mega ring to pass on at this time,” the guru said. “There's one last decision to be made.”

“Hmm, how should we decide on this?” Sycamore said, glancing around the room to see if anyone had an idea to contribute.

Serena just stepped towards Calem confidently. “Well since it has to do with Pokemon, how about a Pokemon battle between the two of us?”

'Which you're going to win because you always do,' Calem thought but didn't say. But there was a better way to settle this. “Maybe. But Serena, you've known about this all year, haven't you?”

“What makes you say that?” she asked, raising her eyebrows.

But no matter how innocent she tried to act, it was clear on thinking about it. “You passed their tests when you hardly paid attention to the research project,” he pointed out. “You did just enough to make sure you had a good grade for homeroom this year. Not only that, but you were disappointed that the apprenticeship at this place wasn't open last summer, so you must have known then that one of the mega rings was going to become available.”

“What, really?” Trevor asked, looking at Serena in surprise.

“If you remembered that much, then yes,” Serena said. “I've been studying for this for years, ever since I heard it was possible.”

Calem then waved his hand. “Well if that's the case, then you go on ahead. I'm fine with it.”

Serena looked surprised, but she seemed pleased by it. “Oh, well thank you for your courtesy.”

“Aw, that's really generous,” Korrina said with a smile. “Pity we can't take both of you then. In any case, Miss Serena, come with me up the stairs to where we'll perform the last test. We've got a new camera up there so the rest of you can see mega evolution in action.”

“You can do it, Serena!” Shauna called, although Serena ignored her in following Korrina. Neo the Lucario stuck by her.

While they thought it was generous, Calem had mixed feelings on what he'd done. He thought he should have put up some kind of fight. After all, she had done very little on this class project, so why should she benefit the most from what the rest of the class had done? And she had so many advantages already. Giving her the mega ring and this apprenticeship might make her unstoppable. Then again... given how their battles went, he'd only end up humiliated again if he fought her here. She had kept training this year while he had fought fewer battles. And there was his own inherited power to consider. There was a big risk if he got the ring and then was driven insane by the Asari. That is, if he didn't kill off his Pokemon first; the two powers wouldn't blend well, considering that. 

There was one more reason he'd let her go, but it was as far from generous as could be. In all the tales of mega-evolved Pokemon, there was a common theme of the bond between human and Pokemon. The partners were the best of friends, like family to each other. They would do anything for each other. In a few pieces like that in King Leonidas' book, it was noted that mega evolution rarely worked with a new partner even if the Pokemon was of the same species. While Serena's Pokemon were powerful, they were also aloof, not often seen with her outside of battle. Perhaps she'd fail there and end up being the one humiliated instead, since her birthright would be worthless in this.

Calem wasn't sure if he should feel bad for doing that to a friend in front of their whole class. But then, how much had she been a friend to him? Or even to Shauna, Tierno, and Trevor? And what choice did he really have in keeping her from this failure if he didn't have a chance at beating her in a Pokemon battle? She'd end up going first no matter what. Maybe this would even force her to consider how her attitude was affecting her Pokemon and those who tried to be her friend. Calem just shrugged when his classmates tried to get him to say why he'd let her go first.

The guru turned on the TV after about a minute. It showed a large stone balcony with runes written into a circle on the surface. Seeing it, Calem felt fairly certain that it was the source of the powerful aura in this place; he couldn't know for sure unless he was there himself. Before long, Korrina, Serena, and the two Lucarios came out onto the balcony. The wind outside blew their hair around and cut off a lot of the sound from the camera. They couldn't hear as Korrina seemed to be making some offer to Serena. She refused and Neo seemed pretty upset, running out of the camera's frame. Concerned, Korrina started to run after Neo, but then decided to leave him alone for the time being. She came back and called for Leo to fight with her.

Surprisingly, Serena called on a Tyranitaur. He thought she'd call on her Rhyperior; it was her oldest Pokemon, so if she did have the right mineral for it, she might be able to do this. Korrina then went over to give Serena the mega ring; it was small enough that they couldn't see it on the screen. Once they were back to an appropriate distance, a Pokemon battle began. Korrina brought her right hand up, saying something that caused the ring on her finger to release a brilliant spark. A similar spark came from a stone on Leo's wrist, while a brief spark could be seen near the Tyranitaur; it definitely had a suitable stone then. A warm glow much like that of evolution enveloped Leo. Passing much more quickly than a regular evolution glow would, it was gone to reveal Leo as a mega Lucario.

Serena mimicked Korrina's motion to trigger mega evolution in her Tyranitaur. Nothing happened. No spark from ring or stone, no glow, no transformed state. This mega evolution was not going to happen. “This looks unfortunate,” the guru said, putting his hand on his chin.

“Do you have records of Tyranitaur being affected?” Sycamore asked.

He nodded. “My predecessor had done so on several occasions. Their mineral is tough to find, but the one she has should be authentic if it got a reaction from Korrina's ring.”

Due to Serena's failure, Leo quickly won the match. The glow returned right as Serena's Pokemon fell unconscious, reverting Leo back to his normal state. They talked for a moment, then Korrina sent Serena back down. Once back with them, Serena was trying to look unconcerned. Calem still had his enhanced senses activated, and through that he noticed her anger and embarrassment. Mostly anger.

“Did she tell you anything to work on?” the guru asked in concern.

“Some things,” Serena said, but it seemed she didn't think much of whatever she'd been told. “Apparently this isn't as easy as it looks. Calem, she asked for you to come up now.”

“All right, see you,” Calem said.

“Good luck!” Shauna and a few other said, before trying to get Serena to talk about what had happened. But she wouldn't say anything that put her in a bad light; Calem felt sure of that as he started up the stairs.

The balcony was five stories up, so it was quite a long climb around the edges of the tower. His Pokemon started coming out of their Pokeballs around the third story, Mortan coming last. “I guess this is really exciting,” Mortan said, sounding a little happy. “Are you going to try?”

“I’m still not sure about it,” he said. But then he smiled at them. “But if you all want to go for it, then sure... if I can do this without the Asari magic interfering.”

“If it wasn't for that, I'd say there was nothing for you to worry about in this test,” Mortan said.

“We'll just have to see. So Nibbles, are you ready?”

Nibbles buzzed happily, although as soon as they got up to the balcony, she got distracted by the view and darted over to the railing to see. “Hah, brought the whole crew along, did you?” Korrina said, grinned.

“Yup, couldn't keep them away even if I'll only be working with one,” he said, following over to where Nibbles went. Korrina decided to come over too. “Wow, amazing view you've got up here.”

“Isn't it?” Korrina said, coming over to the railing too. Past it, the Kalos landscape spread out far and wide. He thought he might even be able to see the Battle Chateau and the river by it on a good day, or Prism Tower on a good night. “It was decided to have several of the rituals related to the mega rings held up here, as a reminder that there was no limits to the horizon, or dreams. Or something like that. Do you have one of the special minerals for your Pokemon? I would lend you a Pokemon to try, but Neo ran off with my other Lucarioite.”

“Yeah, I have a charm made from Pinsirite,” he said, indicating the pendant tied onto one of Nibbles' arms. “She found the stone before we realized they had anything to do with this, but she liked it so much that I had the charm made for her so she could keep it.”

“That's great; never seen that one myself,” she said, nodding. Then she handed him the mega ring. It had a wide band for a ring, made of a black material speckled with crystals that sparkled in the sunlight. Set onto the band was an oval iridescent white gem, surrounded by a copper frame which was etched with many runes, so tiny that he could only read them through examining the ring's aura. “Well here is the famed mega ring. Put it on your off hand, you know, the one you don't use for writing and such. Your final test is to see if you can trigger mega evolution and the best way to do that is through a Pokemon battle. It'll be just one Pokemon each, all right? So this doesn't qualify towards the badge I have.”

“Sure,” Calem said, putting the mega ring on his left hand. Korrina was already heading into position, so he tapped Nibbles' carapace. “Come on, time for battle.”

She clicked in disappointment at being taken from the view, but followed him to the center of the balcony. His other Pokemon gave them cheers from the sidelines as they kept away to watch. First of all, he had to let her mega evolve Leo so that he could see what needed to be done. Korrina brought her hand up again, bringing her focus to the ring like she was about to cast a spell, and said, “Mega ring activate! Leo, show 'em what you can do!” That triggered him to mega evolve again.

That looked simple. Bringing up his left hand to focus on the ring, Calem realized that it might not matter exactly what he said, so long as the meaning was similar. “Mega ring activate,” he said. “Nibbles, do your best.”

The Pinsir clicked excitedly and she was soon enveloped by the evolution glow too. When it disappeared, she didn't look all that much different. But she had changed; Calem sensed a strong flow of Flying aura in her now. With that, she shifted her back plates apart and lifted herself off the ground with a humming blur of green transparent wings. He never seen her or any other Pinsir fly before, although there were videos of them slowing a fall or beating off excessive heat with their hidden wings.

“Alright, that's awesome!” Korrina said. “Leo, Bone Rush!”

With Nibbles, he wasn't sure of good options for a Lucario, much less a mega one. But they'd try. Calem gave her his orders, while the Lucario summoned several large bones to hurl at Nibbles. Now that she was in flight, she easily dodged them on her way to close the distance and grip the Lucario in her pincers. She picked him up and slammed him down on the stone floor. Korrina had Leo use one of his Fighting moves, so Calem replied with a Flying move. When Nibbles used it here, it was a lot more powerful than she usually managed, on par with a Flying type. So her aura had truly shifted over to Bug and Flying instead of Bug alone. That was interesting, something he should let Sycamore and his classmates know if they didn't notice it themselves.

Then a bolt of lightning flew over their heads and crashed into... the balcony camera? Korrina crossed her hands together to signal putting their battle on hold as a murky brown shield suddenly surrounded the balcony. Then two of the Asari spirits appeared, conflicting with the tower's aura but getting through it nevertheless. Immediately, Calem knew that neither of them were Heinrich. The one who must have been the source of the lightning said, “Foolish boy, to have gone so far as the claim two of our items without killing a single soul. Seems we'll have to punish you until you do what you must.”

“Don't hurt my Pokemon!” Calem said, afraid that the two of them would use an attack against them to punish him. Right then, the mega ring made a brilliant flash, stronger than before. It hit his five other Pokemon, causing Swift, Percival, and Mortan to evolve up into their next stage, with Yorick and Starlet hitting their mega evolutions.

“Eh, what's going on with you creatures?” Korrina asked, sending a burst of Aura Blast at one of them. The Asari used a swiftstep to get out of it and replied with the same, only for Korrina to dodge it through sheer skill. “Sheesh.”

For a moment, Calem found himself unable to move. He was trying to support all six of his Pokemon in their advanced states through the mega ring, leaving him feeling like he was trying to pull six heavy weights at once. Three of them quickly released, not needing the support. But the three others still pulled hard on him, although Nibbles not as much. For a moment, he worried that three of them had been killed off. But no, he sensed all six of them still alive, fighting against the two evasive Asari spirits. Korrina and Leo were helping too.

“Calem,” Mortan said, coming close to him.

“Uh, Mortan?” he said, feeling a bit of dread on seeing him. Previously, he'd seen pictures of a few Florges, the final evolution to the Flabebe line. He'd even seen one in person; they were lovely, but Mortan was horrifying. His thin body was ghostly pale and the floral ruff around his neck was full of dry black petals and small bones. Then he got a hold of himself. It was still Mortan. “Sorry.”

“I know,” Mortan said. Maybe he'd tried being a Florges for a time only to go back to Floette, like he'd regressed to Flabebe after they first met. “I thought you should know what I can tell from the other side. One of these two follows the Asari will entirely; the other is being controlled by the first and he seems to have some portion of himself like Heinrich does.”

Controlled? Calem listened to his own senses and found that he felt the same thing. There it was, like a thin string connecting the two on a mental level. What would cutting it do? He noticed Percival, now a single regal sword with a round shield, was keeping close to him to protect him. “Percival, could you link my sense to Starlet? I need to show her where to strike.”

Percival bobbed forward a little in a nod, then got a connection between him, Calem, and the Mawile. At first, she froze up, swinging her jagged iron jaw into a defensive position against the amount of information she was now open to. Calem narrowed it down to the thin connection and let her know that she should try severing it. Reassured at hearing him, she braced herself and snatched at the weaving line with her steel jaw, tearing it apart with her newly increased might. The broken power knocked her onto her back, but she kept herself from passing out. Calem recalled her to her Pokeball so that the spirits didn't try to kill her while she was weakened, and Percival cut their connection.

To his right, one of the Asari had dropped to his knees. The other Asari was furious. “What are you doing?” he hissed, throwing a dagger at Calem's shoulder. Percival deflected it for him. “He belongs to us!”

“Let him decide that,” Calem said.

“Can you understand these creeps?” Korrina said, moving her position closer to Calem.

She couldn't? That would mean a longer explanation later... but later. For now, he said, “Yes; they're spirits with an affinity to darkness and water. Leave the downed one be, focus on the one still fighting.”

“Alrighty,” she said, drawing runes with her hand in order to summon a bolt of lightning much like what had destroyed the camera. “Leo, you get in there. And get your Pinsir in close too.”

“Be careful, you two,” Calem called, recalling a defense-boosting skill from battle club. He cast it over the two Pokémon.

The Asari snarled as he called up a ring of fire around himself. Calem's spell did lesson the damage Leo and Nibbles took, but Calem then had to cast a healing spell on Nibbles. He thought Korrina might do the same. Instead, she focused for a few seconds on a curse that struck everyone on the balcony, even herself. Calem read it as preventing any teleportation powers, including their swiftstep. Thus with him and Korrina supporting Leo and Nibbles up close, while the other Pokemon did what they could from a distance, the Asari was soon defeated. He screamed hatefully as he turned to ash. With him gone, the shield over the area shattered.

“Now what about this one?” Korrina asked, although she relaxed on seeing the other defeated. Perhaps she could also tell that his aura no longer conflicted with the tower's.

“Some go along with it, but others are consumed by the Asari will,” Calem said, looking over him.

Strangely enough, he was no longer faceless. His form was fainter, but he clearly had blond hair and green eyes. “I never thought I could be freed of it,” he said, rising back up. “Thank you.”

“Who are you two and why did you attack the tower?” Korrina asked. Leo by her side reverted, this time looking weary as he sat down instead of standing. Yorick, Nibbles, and Mortan all reverted as well, with Starlet having reverted on being recalled. However, Swift and Percival stayed as they were.

“I don't have a lot of time,” he said. “He can tell you some of it. I am Tymar, sixth of the Asari line. You just killed Eiota, second of our line. That's quite remarkable; he was the killer of gods. I have spoken with Heinrich and he tells me you need to know about the eldest Asari, and Eiota. In my lifetime, I encountered someone here in Kalos whom I could not kill no matter what I did. I told him our story, even though he was an outsider. He still lives today, centuries later, as the wandering king. I hope you find enough trust with him so that he tells it to you.” Tymar had been fading the whole while, and now he was barely visible in the sunlight. “Let him know I found peace; I hope he finds the same.” He was gone entirely.

“The wandering king, huh?” Korrina said. “I've heard of him, but he'll be hard to find.”

“I think I know where I can find him, but getting him to talk to me might be tough,” Calem said. Because AZ would have to admit that he wasn't Jack first.

“Come on Leo, you can sleep in your Pokeball for now,” Korrina said, recalling her Lucario. “Now what's up with all this? And how did you manage to use the mega ring on most of your Pokemon at once? I haven't been able to mega evolve Neo and Leo in the same fight, but looks like you got all but your Floette.”

“Thank goodness she didn't see me,” Mortan said quietly from his usual perch on Calem's shoulder.

Calem rubbed his head. “I don't know how I did it either; I just didn't want any of them hurt. But I don't think I'd do it again. That was exhausting.” She laughed at that. “As for who they were, the Asari spirits... it's a long story, but we should talk about it before you decide on if you want to keep me around.”

“Well if you could manage five at once, it'd be great to let you keep the mega ring,” she said. “Mega evolution requires a strong bond between the two partners; that's where Serena failed. Somehow she didn't have that strong of a connection to her Tyranitaur and Leo seems to think she doesn't have a strong connection to any Pokemon. That really hurt Neo; I hope he didn't do anything terribly reckless. On the other hand, your bonds with your whole party must be quite strong, as two of them mega evolved without their respective stones and you're still standing on your feet.”

“Not by a lot,” he joked.

“Hey, what's going on up here?” Sycamore asked, coming out onto the balcony. “Your grandfather sent me up here after the TV connection was lost, but there was some shield on the stairs that kept me held up.”

“It was the Asari,” Calem said. “Two of them showed up, but we defeated one and freed the other. And for the moment, they don't seem to be able to stop me from talking about them.”

That freedom didn't hold for long and Calem had the feeling of being watched intensely on their way back to the academy. But while they were in the tower, he and Sycamore told Korrina about the Asari curse and how they were trying to keep it from claiming him. Calem didn't want such murderous spirits to have any access to extra power in mega evolution.

Still, his Pokemon had proven that they could stop him. If he got Starlet and Yorick charms like Nibbles had, they might be able to freely mega evolve while he wore the ring. That would draw energy from him, as well as giving them better strength in restraining and knocking sense back into him. For that reason, Korrina's grandfather decided to take Calem as an apprentice despite his cursed heritage.


	20. Neo's Wish

_My apprenticeship for the mega ring didn't seem all that different from what I was doing with Heinrich, actually. I had already proven that I could do what they were asking, so I just had to practice it repeatedly. For that summer, I focused on working with Nibbles to accustom myself to the connection needed for mega evolution. I also needed to learn their philosophy towards Pokemon, training, and life in general. Some of it I was following already without realizing it._

_Being that I was apprenticing at the Tower of Mastery under Korrina and her grandfather, I was given a part-time position at Korrina's Gym in Shalour for that summer. And since I had completed my fourth year, it was about time for me to complete a summer project relating to my studies for LMA graduation requirements. The apprenticeship and the job worked for both, so I didn't have a long summer vacation that year. I was still studying magic, Pokemon, and the Asari skills as hard as ever, now trying to catch back up on my team's battle training to get back into the battle club and classes next year._

_And the one week that I actually had as a vacation, I spent following the wish of a Pokemon that wasn't a part of my team. We got far more than we expected out of it._

One of the interesting things about working for Korrina was that her Gym was a roller rink and all Trainers, whether working there or challenging the gym, had to be wearing roller skates of some form. At all times, even when conducting a battle. Calem got good at grinding rails and making sharp turns on skates within a couple of weeks just because those skills were required for getting around the Gym normally. Still, it had to be accessible to those who couldn't skate at all, or even those who just weren't good at it.

“The higher one's the easier one to get across, actually, because it's the most level,” Calem told a twelve-year-old challenger who'd just beaten him and earned the right to face Korrina for her first badge. “You just need to build up enough speed, then jump on the rail and keep your balance. The momentum will get you across.”

She still looked pale at the prospect of crossing the ditch that separated the main rink from the central area Korrina waited in. “I-I'm not too good at balancing on these things,” she said. She had been swaying often during the battle. “Specially not over a drop.”

Trying to cheer her up, Calem smiled. “Well then I'll have to reveal the secret path. Follow me.” He skated at a slow walking pace so she could keep up, taking her to a secret control panel on one of the inner safety walls. Activating it brought up a bridge with more safety walls on the side.

“Oh, thank you,” she said, feeling more secure in skating over that to challenge Korrina.

He had to leave the bridge up until she came back, so he waited by it to make sure that any other challengers that came in didn't use it unless they'd beaten the appropriate number of Gym Trainers first. He used the time to heal up his team. As this was a Fighting type Gym and he had no Pokemon of that aura type, Korrina let him borrow three of the Gym's Pokemon. He could use Percival in higher level badge challenges, since he knew a Fighting type move. Since Korrina believed in having some unexpected teams among the Gym challengers, he could mix in his own team as long as they fought similarly to other Pokemon in the Gym. The ones he was borrowing were varied: a low level Machop he used for first badge challengers like this girl, a mid level Hitmonchan that was between the Machop and his regular team, and Neo, who was on level with his team. However, he wasn't allowed to try mega evolution on Neo in the Gym; the League rules didn't allow for it except at the very highest levels.

And sometimes he couldn't try simply because Neo wasn't around. Mortan noted that the Lucario wasn't talkative; he also wasn't sociable since on numerous days, he'd escape his Pokeball and get far enough away that Calem couldn't recall him. Like today. They were expecting a strong challenger to come through later today and Calem had been planning to use Neo, Percival, and Starlet. All Steel types; the trio was risky when the challenger had access to Fire or Fighting type moves, but their other aura types made them a pretty good theme team. But Neo wasn't around again.

The girl won a close battle against Korrina, with a Spritzee that was barely hanging on at the end of the match. She got so excited that she tried to jump and ended up falling on her rear. After helping her up, Korrina gave her a good-hearted tease and the badge for winning the Trainer challenge. When the girl came skating back over, Calem called, “Great job there!” She laughed and gave him a hi-five as she passed. He directed her to the easiest way to skate out, then waved over at Korrina. “Hey, I need to go look for Neo! Can I have a few minutes?”

Korrina came over to the end of the bridge. “Again? All right, he's probably over near the tower so start at the beach. Try to get him back before the hour.”

“Thanks, I will,” he said, then closed up the access bridge and headed out.

Since he was going on the beach, he folded the wheels up in his skates so he could walk on the sand. There were several small beaches around Shalour, surrounded by jagged rocks in the water and a multitude of cliffs. But there was one prominent beach in Shalour that led up to the Tower of Mastery, so Calem sent out his Pokemon to help him search around the area. It took a few minutes, but eventually Swift came out of the water and told Mortan that Neo was over the water on the other side of the tower, standing on one of the rocks there.

Calem considered asking Swift to swim back and ask Neo to come over. But he doubted it would work. The sole proof of magic he had from the League didn't give him enough respect to get a strong outsider like Neo to listen fully to him. Instead, he wondered he if could use his swiftstep technique to get out to the other side by using these rocks. “Are the rocks over there big enough for me to sit or stand on?” he asked the Greninja. “And, would you spot for me in case I fall in the water?”

Swift croaked in agreement, so he set up his activation spells: the senses to know the footing better and the swiftstep to set up the target path on his own. With that, it was a matter of darting from rock to rock, trying to know where the good footing was rather than try to think about it. For this skill, thinking was really detrimental as he needed to move fast. Swift sped around the tower, almost like a race but he knew she would be keeping an eye on him. Before he even saw the Lucaio, he sensed where Neo was and a rock near him that would be a good spot to end on. He arrived and found that Neo was watching him, curious about what he was doing.

On arriving, Calem crouched down and swept off a bit of loose pebbles to sit down on the large rock he'd found. This side of the tower came right up to the sea, so there seemed to be nothing but water in front of them. Swift soon shot out of the water and landed on the wall of the tower, finding a spot to hang and watch them. “Hey Neo, here you are,” Calem said, waving to him. “Sorry if we're bugging you, but I’ve been worried about you. Something up?”

Neo gave him an indifferent snort, looking away and turning his ears forward. Then a cool breeze passed by them, bringing with it Mortan. “Sheesh, that wasn't very far and I still can't keep up with you,” he said. Neo then looked at him.

“Sorry, but glad to see you made it,” Calem said, nodding to him. Then he looked over at Neo. “We can talk through Mortan, but only if we're not around other humans. I really do want to know what's bothering you. Is it still about Serena?”

He looked sad about that, so he'd gotten it right. Mortan floated over to him and spoke with him for several minutes. After these three weeks in which Neo didn't want to associate with him outside of battle, this was nice. It seemed just knowing that he was being listened to was enough.

“Okay, I think I can explain this now,” Mortan said. “Neo respects Korrina and sees her as a good friend; their bond allowed him to evolve from a Riolu, and even mega evolve now. However, his twin Leo has always been closer to Korrina. They work so well together that their motions are often in sync and they don't realize it. Leo evolved first and he's always had an easier time with mega evolution than Neo has. Because of that, Neo's always felt like that Korrina wasn't his proper partner and that someone else out there was.”

“I've noticed that about them myself,” Calem said. “I'd feel the same way in that situation.”

Neo nodded while Mortan continued. “Right, and he's thought for a long time now that his partner was supposed to be Serena. It turns out that the time we met Korrina wasn't the first time Neo had encountered Serena. They'd actually met a couple months earlier on Route 5, where the skate park is. While Korrina and Leo were off doing skate tricks with other skaters, Neo left them to sit by the road instead and Serena came out of Lumiose's gate planning on battling some Trainers out there. He saw her aura and was immediately concerned about it.”

“Concerned about her aura?” Calem asked. She had some unique aspects, but he wasn't sure it was of concern. He wasn't sure what it was about at all.

“It surprised me some too,” Mortan said. “There were some parts I haven't been able to interpret about her, but Neo immediately figured out that she's being watched over by Zygarde. That in itself is very unusual. There was something else though: he saw a heavy fate hanging over her that was uncertain but a strong possibility, that she would die before she turned nineteen. Knowing that, he felt like he needed to save her.

“But Serena hasn't made it easy, no matter how many times Neo has found her and helped her. He says it's even getting worse because the bonds she has with everyone, not just Pokemon, have been steadily deteriorating except for the one that ties her to her early death. He wanted her to become the apprentice to help her repair those bonds, so that he could save her when the fate tries to become real. But you remember it: she turned him down and failed to become the apprentice.”

That's terrible,” Calem said. “I'm sorry about that, Neo. I know you were trying hard to get her attention.”

Neo kicked at the rock he was on, looking down at the ocean. “Right, I wish she'd acknowledge you at least,” Mortan said. “Anyhow, now he's not sure if he should keep trying because she's really his partner, or if she's not and he should give up.”

“Well now I don't want to have you fighting if you feel conflicted like that,” Calem said. There was a splash nearby as Swift returned to the water; Percival was following after her over the waves. Briefly, he wondered what that was about. But they should be fine handling it. He turned back to Neo. “Hey, what if we went to find Serena and told her this?” When the Lucario's ears picked up and turned to him, he knew he was on the right track. “I admit, I've been conflicted about her too. I thought she was my friend, but she's been really cold lately. Still, if something might kill her that soon... her seventeenth birthday would have been not that long ago... we should go warn her and try to help her again. Maybe knowing that she's in danger like that will force her to rethink how she treats everyone.”

“How're we going to find her?” Mortan asked. “She said she'd be busy this summer. If it's the League challenge, then I think she's already beaten Korrina.”

But he had a good idea of how to find her. “We can go by the Battle Chaeau and see if she's home, or if her parents know. Other than that, remember that our class was going to get together next week on a follow-up to the mega evolution research. She might be there and if not, I have her holocaster number and I can always ask to meet her if we have to.”

Neo barked and was happy with that offer.

“Good, but, who's Zygarde?” Calem thought it seemed familiar, like he'd seen the name a time or two but it hadn't seemed important enough to register.

“Oh, I didn't think about that you might not know,” Mortan said, seeming embarrassed. “Well, he's... how do I say this? He's incomprehensible.”

“That only confuses the matter more,” he said.

The Floette shook his head. “No, that's as clear as it gets. Zygarde is another god of the Kalos region, ranked higher than Yveltal and Xerneas. They both answer to him, and even at his most chaotic times, Xerneas will quickly get in line if he's dealing with Zygarde. Even so, they don't understand him all that well either. It's said that he has the ability to alter reality at will, but if he does, no one but him remembers him doing so. It's said that he truly knows all, but if one asks a question of him, he will give an answer entirely unrelated. It's said that he's the god of the environment, but then what does that even mean?”

“Is that like the environmentalists who want to preserve the environment for the future?” Calem asked. “Because that isn't incomprehensible; they're just trying to keep the world a good place Unless they go overboard and then they can become illogical.”

“Well the point is, I've been around for three thousand years and even I'm not sure what Zygarde is. Physically, he's a dragon of the Earth, which is partly where the environment thing came in. But mentally and in terms of what his divine powers are, we just don't know what's going on with him. Sometimes the things he does makes sense later and sometimes they never do.” Neo had something to add to that, which Mortan nodded to. “Right, like if his mind encompasses all the details in history, why is he interested in Serena? When you look at absolutely everything that everyone, human and Pokemon, are doing right now in Kalos, how does one person stand out so much that he's focusing specifically on her? And for what purpose? We could try to come up with answers, but our minds can't really grasp his scale. So, Zygarde is an incomprehensible god.”

To Calem, it seemed that knowing everything would make it easier to pick out an important person. Although why Serena was just that important escaped him, as he wouldn't rank her that high with her attitude. He had Neo's cooperation now, so they made their way around the tower. And when they got back to the beach, they found Swift next to the Machop, who was soaking wet and shaking. Some quick questions revealed that Yorick had hurled him into the water. While he did need to talk to Korrina about taking Neo to Serena, this was a more immediate concern to deal with. But Calem had an idea.

Back at the Gym, there wasn't a challenger there, so most of the trainers were taking the moment easy. Calem got his skate wheels back out and went to Korrina. “I'd like to volunteer Yorick for washing the Gym floors for this week,” he said.

“Guah?” the Gengar asked, startled.

Having been around them for a few weeks, she grinned. “Sure thing! What's he been doing now?”

“Launched my Machop into the seawater, so he has to do some hard work in punishment,” Calem said, looking down at Yorick.

“Eeee?” Yorick whined, widening his eyes and trying to look cute and innocent. It didn't work quite so well now that he was a Gengar.

“I've told you, I don't want you playing mean tricks on other Pokemon,” Calem scolded.

“That's right,” Korrina said. “If you're gonna launch somebody into the water, make sure they like the water first. I'll be watching and make sure you scrub those floors good.”

“Gahooooo,” he said, slumping over in resignation.

“Looks like you managed to get Neo back too,” Korrina said, turning her attention to the Lucario. “I hope you're not trying to get into trouble too.”

“No, he's just been thinking over some things,” Calem said. Then, recalling Mortan telling him that Lucario could communicate with humans (but it took some time to get used to their telepathy), he added, “I managed to figure out some of what he wants: he wants to tell Serena something, maybe go with her if she'd finally accept him.”

“You still after that girl?” Korrina asked, concerned about him and putting a hand on the Lucario's shoulder. “It's gonna be tough getting through to her. But, I know you wouldn't be like this without a good reason. You sure about this?”

Neo nodded. As he did, Leo popped out of his Pokeball. He went over and hugged his brother.

“Do you mind if I take a few extra days off in a couple of weeks, so I can help him track her down?” Calem asked. “I know some places of where to look for her, and she'll be at our class meeting hopefully if not in those places.”

She didn't give it much thought before accepting. “Sure, thanks for doing that for him. Try to get her to understand how she hurt him before and what she's missing by not getting attached to her Pokemon. She could be great, but that'd going to come back to bite her if she's not careful.”

Rather more than a bite, Calem thought. “Yeah, I hope we can wake her up to that. It just seems weird to me that she must have been around Pokemon all of her life but she doesn't seem to value them much except in how they can help her.”

“My grandfather says that's been happening more and more with younger generations now,” she said. “And for once, I don't think that's nostalgia or something. Technology has increased a lot since his youth. In many ways it has brought us closer to Pokemon, especially in how we understand them. But then, some technology also distances us from the Pokemon who should be the closest to us. Out of sight out of mind, and some people start to not care as much. But you know, that's part of the reason we decided to take the teachings of our group and make them more public. We want to show that those who do care stand a better chance in succeeding in the end.”

* * *

The first place they went to look for Serena was the Battle Chateau. “I'm sorry, but she hasn't been here this summer,” the maid at the entrance said. “It was quite a disappointment.”

Neo certainly seemed disappointed, sighing and looking at the ground. “Do you know where she is?” Calem asked. “Or where we might start looking elsewhere?”

Shaking her head, the maid said, “No, not myself. However, Lord Richard is in today, in one of the parlors with Master Siebold and Master Wikstrom. He should know.”

And he'd been wanting to chat with Siebold anyhow, Calem thought. This would be a good chance. “Okay, I'll go find him. Thank you.”

The Chateau had a large number of guests today, enough that he got stopped twice by those wanting battles. Perhaps it was because his team had grown, but both battles seemed a lot easier than he remembered those at this place being. He wasn't even using Neo, since he was a seventh Pokemon and thus not part of his battle team. Or most of them, since they were strong and the opponent Pokemon went down quickly. On seeing that, others in the hall seemed to leave him alone even if they were looking for battles. That was helpful, as he got to the back parlor where the men would be.

While this was a place of battle, Calem didn't think he'd be challenging any of these three today. Richard was a former Champion, after all, and Wikstrom was another member of Kalos' Elite Four. But if the other two were anything like Richard, they'd either leave him be or make sure to use their newer less trained Pokemon against a Trainer of his level. The three weren't even battling in here, as they'd gathered chairs in a partial circle to chat with each other. “Hello, mind if I join you?” he asked.

“Hello Calem,” Richard said, smiling and giving him a wave. “Sure, bring up a chair; it's good to see you. I've got some friends over today; this is Wikstrom and Siebold, members of the Elite Four. And this is one of my daughter's friends and classmates, Calem.” He soon looked over at Percival; the red Aigislash was watching him, approaching slowly.

“I've met him briefly,” Siebold said. “And we still can't figure out how you got up the tower without us noticing.”

“Teleporting, sort of,” Calem said, sitting down in the chair he'd pulled over..

“I see you've still got Percival with you,” Richard said, waving for the Aegislash to come closer. “You look well.” Being pointed out embarrassed him, so Percival went to hover behind Calem's chair.

“Yeah, he's doing good,” Calem said, smiling. “Go on, you should remember him, from when we met. He's still timid, but he's been getting braver over time. Actually, I wanted to ask you where Serena is. I need to go talk with her.”

“That I don't know,” Richard said, sounding worried now. “I wish I could tell you; she's had me worried lately.”

“She turned seventeen lately, didn't she?” Siebold asked. Which would mean that she could legally leave home and live independently without telling her parents.

He nodded. “Yes, and she didn't even want a party for it. We planned one anyhow, but she didn't invite her friends and was gone once she escaped our notice. While she didn't say much about her plans, I'm afraid that she really did go join Team Flare.”

“I used to not be worried about them, but they've been acting fishy lately,” Siebold said. “Last time I was an acting chef, one of them made a scene about us wasting food, which was a major misunderstanding. That was just rude, but then I heard things like they were intimidating visitors to two different public mines and not letting them take out fossils or gems.”

Wikstrom nodded in agreement. “What about their latest gathering? Wulfric has been having a number of disagreements with Flare over the Winding Woods. When I went to visit him, Flare's presence in Snowbelle was very obvious. They all claimed to be there for a demonstration against littering and taking native plants out of the forest, but I'm not sure of that. They all had the exact same words for it, very suspicious.”

“Did you see Serena there?” Richard asked.

He shook his head. “No, not unless she dyed her hair and was wearing their uniform so that I missed her. But I was there a week ago and Wulfric said they were still there this morning.”

Richard put his hand to his chin. “They are being suspicious now. But the thing that's been worrying me is how much Lysandre seems to have a personal interest in Serena. He's been courteous to us for the most part, but in the past couple of years he just... maybe I'm reading to much into it, but it seems an inappropriate amount of attention. She hasn't said anything to us, but then again, she hasn't said much to us at all lately.”

“Do you have any proof of it being inappropriate?” Wikstrom asked.

He shook his head. “Not yet, just suspicions like some expensive gifts and meeting up outside the watch of other adults. I want to go up to him and tell him to quit messing with my daughter, but it's hard for some reason to talk to him like that.”

“He has a tattoo on his shoulder that gives him an intimidation effect, that's why,” Calem said. “I sensed it on him once.”

“That would explain it,” Siebold said.

“And once you know, there's ways to null its effect,” Richard said.

Although he seemed to be considering confronting Lysandre, Calem could see that it still concerned him to actually do it. Maybe a more solid reason to suspect him? With that in mind, Calem said, “Well, I’d rather he not find out I said this, but he's been trying to threaten me this past year.”

“What for?” Wikstrom said, already seeming angered. Siebold held a hand up to remind him silently to keep calm.

“I know two of his reasons, not all,” Calem said. “Did you hear about the odd earthquake in Geosenge last summer? We were there when it happened, me, Serena, and a few of our friends. I happened to come in contact with Yveltal then. Later on, Lysandre shut down his cafe for a few hours and told me to meet him there with one of Flare's other leaders, I think. That's when he started threatening me, wanting to know what Yveltal had said to me and if I could find him again. He's also been trying to get this Floette from me for a few years, even offering to buy him for a ridiculously high price after I told him that I wanted to keep him. For a while, I was worried that he'd cut off my scholarship since he's the main reason I could go to LMA. Then I found out that he actually paid off my last four years already and hasn't checked in on my grades or his other requirements since my second year. Which is good, but he's found other ways to try blackmailing me.”

“I wonder what his interest in Yveltal is,” Siebold said. “Certainly he hasn't shown any signs of that before, or being interested in any of the gods.”

“But if he wants to find Yveltal while the god is sleeping and has no reason to awaken, there's a lot of troubling things he could do,” Richard said.

“He might be interested in Xerneas as well,” Wikstrom said. “After all, many stories state that one of his preferred homes is the Winding Woods, hibernating as one of the trees if he's not roaming around actively.”

“I really should go look into this,” Richard said.

* * *

Next, Calem spent a day in Aquacorde while he sent Neo and Swift to check on the house Serena's family owned in Vaniville. He felt tempted to go himself, but worried about if he'd run into his parents and what would happen then. Besides, it was raining in these two towns, which made going there more dangerous. So he did some shopping and watched the rain falling into the sleepy river while the two Pokemon went looking.

While he was sitting on a bench by the river with an umbrella in hand, he heard a familiar voice close by. “Why aren't you practicing?”

He turned quickly and saw one of the Asari standing behind the bench. But he felt relieved to notice that it was Heinrich and not one of the others. “Phew, I’m glad to see you again,” he said.

Heinrich leaned on the back of the bench. “Are you?”

He nodded, smiling. “Sure. You dropped out of contact suddenly and I haven't seen you at all. It worried me, so of course I'm glad.”

“Hmph.” Then he was sitting on the bench too, not too concerned about practice apparently. “The current authorities in your land... the Pokemon League, I think? They're aware of my presence as a dangerous spirit that will roam the land and kill if not watched. Do you remember what cut short our first meeting?”

He tried to remember. “Um... not entirely, I was too freaked out to notice much. But I seem to think you got cut off abruptly.”

“Yes. There's a woman in Anistar; I think her name is Olympia. She watches over the place where I was memorialized and tries to keep my soul bound there. While the dagger is still there, she can do it. But as you became more aware of our family and your power, it was easier for us to get me out of those bounds to come instruct you. Then she changed the way she bound me and I couldn't reach you for a while.”

“Shouldn't they have sent someone else if you couldn't come?” he asked. It seemed like the practical thing to do, and may have been why the two showed up at the Tower of Mastery before.

“They did,” Heinrich said, clearly amused. Then he shook his head and tried to be stern again. “And you utterly destroyed one and freed the other from the will of the eldest. They're finding it harder to reach you now, especially since you're living near a holy monument in that tower for the time being. I'm your predecessor, so I have an easier time coming to you than the rest, at least when Olympia's not interfering.”

“Olympia's the Gym Leader of Anistar,” Calem said. If she was responsible for binding Heinrich's soul, then she had to know of the location of the memorial and the dagger. Maybe he should get Korrina to talk with her. “Well at least it was her; I was worried the others had done something to you.”

“I'm one of the Asari, bound to the will of the eldest,” he said. “If they thought I was a problem, they'd just pull my mind closer to his. I only got out of the bindings yesterday... but I have still been watching you. Thus I saw when you used the anklet's power to cross the rocks on a sunny afternoon.”

“It was a better way than swimming.”

He nodded. “As you went out and back successfully, that means that you know the method well. You would do better if you found shoes made less impact for less noise. Or toughen your feet to go barefoot most of the time.”

“I can't go barefoot at school,” he said, recalling that it was part of the dress code to have shoes save for in the dorm rooms. “Or in most businesses these days.”

“Those rules won't matter if they don't catch you,” Heinrich reminded him. “Tell me what the cowl does.”

It hadn't taken long for Calem to figure that out. “It's connected to the power that makes our aura appear low to others. When it's out, it blends our aura into the surroundings instead. Thus, we're invisible to aura senses and magic detection with the cowl, although we can still be seen and heard.”

“That's right,” he said, leaning back on the bench. “It means that you've completed the Asari training.”

“I have?” Calem asked, puzzled. He expected that they had some other power that was more directly lethal, and worried about how he'd go about learning that without killing.

Heinrich nodded. “We were given three gifts, three items to teach us three powers. The anklet is for movement swift and silent. The cowl is for presence erased into shadow. The dagger is for awareness to strike with precision. In learning, the rain assists us as a support from our patron goddess. In mastery, the powers can be used whenever, wherever, constant. Under the veil of secrecy and mystique... which you haven't kept all that well, but fine... under the veil of secrecy and mystique, we become as living terrors. Those who know they are targets will be afraid to do anything, since they know we could strike at any moment and know little more than that. That is all we need; anything else can be done by any other person, even the dismissal and recalling spells.”

On thinking about it, it started to make sense that those three alone were enough to make an Asari assassin. They came together so that they could know what was coming and dodge in a split second, but those they were fighting wouldn't be sure what they were doing, or even where they were. It would work even better in a rain like this, with the drops making a blur of sight and sound. “But you learn the other skills and spells to further confuse and overwhelm people.”

“Good, you've got it,” he said. “Water Pulse is a good example of spells we favor; it attacks and bewilders at the same time. Others made sure to learn things like strength enhancements, to make their blows more powerful. Or Surf, which can be mixed with the anklets to give you an escape route over water, where others do not expect. But in the end, it is awareness, presence, and movement that we rely on most.”

“Then you're okay with me finding the dagger now?” Calem asked.

He was quiet for a moment. “I came today to talk to you. Once I leave, you won't see me again until you claim the dagger, although not just because of Olympia's binds. I will test you then to make sure you know how to use our gifts. It's the last test; no one has passed it without having killed before.”

“Will I be free of him if I do?”

“I don't know. I don't think even the eldest knows that. If you want to keep your mind sane, then you'd better kill to gain their acceptance before trying the test. Otherwise, they're going to seek to drive you insane like I was.”

Calem shook his head. “I won't. I'll fight them, no matter what they try. I want to be able to go back home again and see my parents without fearing for their lives.”

Unexpectedly, Heinrich grabbed his hand. As he did, Calem became aware of something that wasn't taking place here. It was hard to tell... trees whipping by, the branches hitting hard from the run. The quick flash of a rainbow among a sea of green leaves, light hooves only making a sound out of the rush. But the paths were mixed up when they should be straight because of what humans with dangerous ideals had done. One stood by his side like modern-day royalty, but even he...

“I would pray that the gods be on your side,” Heinrich said softly. “But the gods of this land are in danger themselves. You must learn the story of the eldest; it is truly the key.” And then he was gone as if he'd never been there, save for the lingering chill of his touch on Calem's wrist.

Calem did the first thing he could think of. “Mortan? What do you think?”

“I think you can do it,” the Floette said.

He shook his head. “No... he said the gods of this land are in danger.”

“Huh?” He tilted his head, puzzled. “If he means Xerneas and Yveltal, then I’d know, but the few others...” then he stiffened enough that he started to fall slowly.

“Are they?” Calem asked.

“My connection to Xerneas just got weakened all of a sudden,” he said. “It seems he was awakened today, but this isn't like anything else I've felt before.” He then twirled his flower and returned to the air to bow to him. “Excuse me, but I really want to go ask Yveltal what he thinks of this.”

“Go ahead,” Calem said, watching him disappear too. He wondered what exactly was going on. He was almost certain that he'd seen Richard in that vision. Although he'd not seen that area, the forest might be that Winding Woods where Team Flare was supposed to be. And Serena might now be a part of Team Flare. But what of that was the truth? He wasn't there to sense it for himself.


	21. The Eldest Asari

In hopes of coming across Serena, Calem and Neo next went to Snowbelle by following the route east of Santalune. The countryside around the town was vibrant with plant life: many summer wildflowers were in bloom and the woods to the south were seemingly filled with all shades of green. But Snowbelle itself was nearly wintery. While he could work up a sweat coming down the route, he had to pull out a jacket from the slightly chilled air in this town. It was even more noticeable as he looked down to where the Gym itself was; the large building shone in the sun because condensation gathered on it and froze on contact. A few icicles were dripping off the sign, but it was still remarkable to see them in late July.

One thing that was missing was Team Flare. Wikstrom had said their presence was obvious, but Calem didn't see any of them. The only reds in town were some flowers, the Pokecenter roof, and a few people that just happened to be wearing red. He checked around in places people might gather, like the Pokecenter, a cafe, or outside the Gym. If Flare members were around, they weren't in uniform. Serena wasn't around town either.

He did find Mortan hovering around a path that led into the Winding Woods. “There you are,” Calem said, glancing around. No one else seemed to be in this part of town. “What's going on?” he added.

“Xerneas isn't here,” Mortan said. “Someone captured him in a Pokeball. Yveltal couldn't tell who, but he thinks it was probably someone from Team Flare and he knows that Xerneas was awakened by a young woman. Sounds a lot like Serena, what he could tell me. I came here to check on the woods because Yveltal's still asleep, and then go back with you to find Serena. I could sense Xerneas if he's on her team. But then... AZ is in the woods today, so I can't go in to check on where Xerneas should have been. Did he feel like something went wrong too?”

“Grrr,” Neo growled, clenching his fists and looking down.

“You could tell easier than me if Serena's in there,” Mortan told Neo. “And yeah, if she really is involved with Team Flare being after the gods, then she's in a lot of trouble already.”

Neo whined, so it seemed he couldn't sense if she was in there or not, at least from outside the woods. “We'll go in and talk with AZ,” Calem said. “Besides, I have to talk with him anyhow. Once he knows that I know who he is, maybe he'll tell me what he's doing here.”

“Thanks,” Mortan said. “Make sure the others help guide you through there. The paths are normally twisted in a way that defies logic, but the native Pokemon can find their way most of the time. I'll be waiting in town.”

Within a minute of entering, it seemed like the woods had swallowed them up entirely. The trees were thick and the paths were broken. With the thick canopy of leaves overhead, sunlight got scattered in all directions and it was hard to tell which way they were going. Calem activated his heightened senses and found that to barely help. The magic here was ancient and complex, made up of many layers that were difficult to ascertain which layers were active. However, his senses were able to pick out the way out no matter where in the forest they were, as well as three other humans in the woods. One of them was distinctly AZ, so he just had to figure out how to get on the path to him.

He ran into the other two humans before he found AZ. They were of Team Flare, but the only reason he knew that was that they were women in those cheesy sci-fi outfits that Mable wore. Even only seeing them between the trees, he could tell that their outfits were muddy. “It's a non-standard space, so I have to determine which system to calculate the path-finding program in first,” the one in the green outfit said.

“Can't we just keep going right until it turns out to be right?” the one in purple said. “Because if we're going in circles anyhow, we might as well do so intentionally to find the way out.”

“The probability of that is somewhere around 1 in 10 that we'll end up exiting if we keep going right. I think. By now, we should have already stumbled out of here”

Calem thought about getting off the path and keeping out of their sight, but the two of them spotted him before he could figure out which ways wouldn't get him utterly lost too. “Finally! Someone else in this place!” The purple woman came up to him and bowed. “Sorry sir, but we've been lost in here for hours and we weren't prepared to spend the night here. How do we get out of here?”

“We don't know anything about him, so asking anyone you come across at random is a shot in the dark,” the green woman said, seeming dissatisfied as she put her hand to her head. Then she noticed a leaf that was in her hair, so started getting that out.

On one hand, they were in Team Flare, so helping them could end up causing him trouble later. But on the other hand, they were telling the truth and it seemed like they hadn't eaten in a while either. Maybe they didn't trust what they could find in the forest. “This is my first time in this place too,” he admitted. “But I was given a spell to figure out how to get out, and I think,” he put his hand in front of his face, then pointed down a narrow path to his left, “if you follow that path and keep going straight, you should find Snowbelle at the exit.”

“Thank you!” the purple one said, thrilled to finally have something certain. “Come on, let's get out of here and get a hot meal back in town! And we'll make sure to grab one of those compasses if we have to come back here.” Then she took off down the path.

“Wait!” the green one said, chasing after her. “What about our mission?”

“Screw it, we'll try again when the target is in an easier place!”

“Arrr?” Neo asked, lifting his ears. This time, Calem got a sense of what he meant. Didn't they have Xerneas already?

“Maybe they didn't hear,” Calem said. “Or maybe they were after AZ, not Xerneas. Although, who knows with them? Come on, I don't think it'll be far from here.” He went back to trying to track AZ down.

Seven minutes later, he came to a small opening in the forest. AZ was there, sitting by a huge old tree with his Sigilyph and Golurk; now a Torkoal was with him too, lazily eating grass without a care in the world. AZ's clothes managed to look rattier than usual, what with the brambles and branches that had been stuck in them now. “Kooorururu!” the Sigilyph called cheerily, flying over to greet him.

“Hey there,” Calem said, smiling at the bird Pokemon. “Good afternoon, Jack.”

“Good afternoon, Calem,” he said, not looking directly at him. Then he did, with his eyebrows furrowed. “Something seems different with you today,” he said. He had noticed the heightened senses spell on Calem, but his memory seemed slow to trigger on it.

“It's probably the enchantment I used to get through here,” Calem said. “I had a weird feeling about this place, so I came to check it out.”

He nodded. “This is a strange place by itself. But stranger things are happening. That's why I came.”

“Is it because Xerneas is missing?” he asked.

“Yes, but how do you know about that?”

There was really only one way to explain that honestly. “Jack, I know who you really are,” Calem said.

He didn't seem too concerned about that, but he was curious. “And who do you think I am?”

“Aleksander Zachariah de Kalos, better known as King AZ from when Kalos was formed three thousand years ago,” he answered. When AZ nodded, he added, “I know I have Lukan, who's currently going by Mortan. He's a servant of Yveltal and Xerneas. And, he can also speak to humans. He only speaks to me since I found out on accident. Yesterday, he felt that Xerneas had awakened but also that he was disconnected from him, so he went to see Yveltal about it. They think that he's been captured by Team Flare.”

Since AZ hadn't stirred from his spot, Calem went over to sit by him. “I suppose you've known all along then,” he said. “Thanks for looking after Lukan; I can tell by your other Pokemon that you must be treating him well.”

Calem nodded. “I try to keep him happy; not always easy to do, but he seems content most of the time. Still, he worries about you a lot and misses you, so I've been trying to help you two out.”

“Does he want to come back to me?” AZ asked.

“Yes, but his words still bind him.”

“Then it seems I still have something to do,” he said sadly. “I'm not entirely sure what to do now.”

“I'm not sure either, but I'll keep working with you both,” Calem said. A loud sound overhead caused them both to stop; it turned out to be a helicopter. He briefly wondered what it was there for, but since it quickly moved on, he asked AZ, “What did you notice about Xerneas?”

“Probably the same thing; my Pokemon and I noticed that something wasn't right about my connection to Xerneas, so we came here to investigate. I don't know who you mean by Team Flare, but when I came here yesterday evening, I only felt more strongly that something wasn't right. On getting to where Xerneas' tree should have stood, we found nothing but a hollow trunk. He should be running around the woods now, but I don't feel him anymore.” He then held a hand out to the Sigilyph. “Then he got agitated and let me know that someone with bad intentions was trying to find me here. We came to this spot, which is difficult to reach and we would notice anyone coming into it. It's a surprise that you managed to get in here; we've simply been waiting on them to leave.”

“I ran across them,” Calem said. “There aren't many humans in the forest today; they're gone, so it's just you and I. They were from Team Flare. But, I don't know what to tell you about them since nobody outside the group is sure of what they're doing. I'm pretty sure they're up to no good, though; it would be a good idea for you to stay away from them.

“Have they been doing anything around Geosenge?” AZ asked.

He nodded. “Yes, they say they're simply trying to preserve the site but they have a lot of interest in it.”

He put his hand to his chest, gripping something there. “Then I should keep away from them. If you know who I am, then you probably know my story.” He showed Calem what he held, a small (on him) crystalline key on a cord. “This is the only way to activate the weapon I created. My brother did the best he could to cover it up since he couldn't destroy it. While no one has managed to find it since, he may have told someone that it was in Geosenge. So anyone who has interest in that town, the gods, and me shouldn't be allowed to bring all three together.”

The key to activate the weapon... things started lining up now that he knew about that. “I see. The leader of the group is a descendant of your brother, I know that much.” And he had been trying to get Mortan ever since he saw him. Possibly as something to get AZ to come out in the open?

“I'll probably leave that house by Laverre, then. Maybe stay here. I know this place well enough to use its magic to hide and know where other people are.” He paused. “It is strange that you know how to do that too.”

“That's something else I need to talk to you about too,” Calem said, touching the black ribbon on his neck. “Something about me. Here, do you know about this?” He activated the cowl.

“That would be a very rare magical artifact,” AZ said, his memory stirring again but not yet making the connection. “Even I haven't come across many with that powerful mirage effect on it.”

He pulled the hood of the cowl down, not wanting to hide his face from his friend. “Last summer, I discovered that I come from a cursed family, the Asari. The curse will turn me into a monster if I were to kill anyone.”

“The Asari,” AZ said, closing his eyes. It was working.

“I don't want to kill anyone,” he said. “But they've been tied closely to me since my birth, so they can manipulate my thoughts and feelings, even make me delusional. I have a lot of good friends, both human and Pokemon, and they've been working with me to resist them. My father and grandfather simply refused to go along with it and have avoided the curse in that way. But I don't want to just avoid it; I'd like to get rid of it entirely. For that, I need to find information that my ancestors have made difficult to find.”

“It is a strong curse,” he said, nodding in recognition.

Calem looked up at his face. “Then they told me that there was one person that they have never managed to kill: you. And that you knew about how our family got cursed in the first place. That's what I need to know, and it seems you're the only person who can freely tell me about it. Would you, please?”

“It was... Tymar Asari.” He nodded as if reassuring himself of it. “It's difficult for me to measure the time I've lived, but I can recognize time around certain people. I knew him for only two months. Despite how we met, we felt a kinship with each other. He's one of the few that I think of as a friend, despite that short time.”

“I met him,” Calem said. “We even managed to get his soul freed from the Asari curse. He was the one who told me to find you. Also, he wanted you to know that he found peace in being cut off, and he hopes you manage to find peace as well.”

“Does he?” AZ asked, touched by that. “So he remembered me as well. Good, I'm glad for him. Well...” he paused for a half a minute, still gathering his thoughts. “Tymar. I heard of him first, someone who came from a land far away and was killing people as if he were a living nightmare. I spent many of the early centuries of my wandering trying to do anything that might bring Lukan and I back together. Helping people without them noticing, guarding towns, even making myself suffer at times if it was punishment I needed. Nothing worked and as I lost track of the years, more and more of my days were nothing but despair. When I heard of him, I went out saying that I was going to stop him as part of my penance, but I was seeking death as well. Whichever would come to me.

“Finding him was difficult, but eventually I discovered a new murder he had committed and thus found him. I went to strike him, but it was like fighting a shadow. I couldn't be certain of where he was and before I knew it, he had stabbed me through my heart. That still didn't kill me, so I kept trying to fight him and he kept trying to kill me. Eventually, he cut through my spine at my neck and that made me collapse. And I was still alive.

“But I had injured Tymar as well, calming him down from the rage that the Asari will forced on him. He managed to take me, unable to move myself, into an abandoned building where the two of us hid while I recovered. He even helped me with that, making sure that I was comfortable while the magic that keeps me alive worked on healing those severe injuries. Because of that, I went ahead and told him my story once I was able to speak again. And he told me his; I could see the struggle he put himself through to do it against the will of the eldest Asari. It seemed that he knew the curse was evil, but he felt that if he killed someone who deserved it, he could break out of it. He picked someone who tortured and murdered other beings for the thrill of it, but it didn't work. He became marked by the curse and his predecessors drove him on a killing spree that outnumbered the one he'd tried to bring justice to.

“Because of what he told me, I didn't really have it in my heart to kill him even though he asked and would have let me. I probably should have, but it was only a brief opening before the other Asari appeared and didn't let me. Tymar was forced to leave me at that point and I didn't see him again. That's how it came to be that I’m the only living person who knows their story. Calem, it begins in a land far away from here...”

* * *

It was a land known as Orre and it was rich with abundance. Three goddesses watched over the land, a goddess of the rain, a goddess of the sun, and a goddess of the land; they made the land above filled with abundant harvest and the land below filled with colorful jewels. There, humans and Pokemon had an easy life. They praised the goddesses for their benevolence and many followed their guidance in gratitude.

But such ease and prosperity attracted those with greed. Such people found ways to control resources and manipulate others into doing what they wanted, not what the goddesses asked for. The prosperity of the land became pulled to these few and hoarded by them. The goddesses attempted to weaken these people, but there are laws that bound even the gods which interfered with them fixing the imbalance. Thus, they began to give blessings to certain people on missions to break up the hold of the greedy ones.

One of those blessings became a terrible mistake.

It began with a lord who took control of a salt mine, a vital resource to humans and Pokemon alike. He rose the prices of salt until the people were forced to give control of the land and laws to him. Under his rule, the fields might have much to offer but people still went hungry. There was one man, whom we only know of as Asari, who watched his wife and son grow ill from hunger. When his wife died, he broke into a food storage house to save his son Eiota. He was caught and had to fight his way from the guards to get away. Knowing they would be hunting for him, he took his son and ran away from the lord's land.

Eventually, they found shelter in a shrine dedicated to the goddess of rain. It nearly always rained in that spot, but Asari found enough food to help his son recover. He avoided being captured again by taking care of the shrine and pretending he was a priest. In doing so, he earned the gratitude of the goddess for fixing up her shrine. When Eiota was healthy again, she appeared before them and offered a blessing to Asari to work on her behalf.

He said that he wanted to kill the lord, which worried the goddess. But she and her sisters were more worried about the lord's rule continuing, even expanding to cover all of Orre. After some thought, she agreed and gave him three gifts: an anklet, a dagger, and a cowl. Each gift held a power that became natural to him, as certain spells are natural to Pokemon. At the time, the gifts were pure: the anklet shone like diamonds, the dagger looked more ceremonial than something that would kill, and the cowl was whole and black. Asari practiced these powers, then left Eiota to look after the shrine while he went after the lord.

The goddess brought rain to cover the lord's palace when Asari arrived. With her blessings, it should have been simple for him to sneak past the lord's powerful guards, assassinate him in silence, then escape without being noticed. But Asari had hidden something from the goddess: his heart was cruel and only the love of his wife had kept him as a peaceful member of society. As she was dead, he cared about nothing but their son. He hated those around him who had done nothing while his family had suffered, so he slaughtered everyone in the town where the lord lived, leaving the tyrant for last to suffer a brutal death.

The rain may have washed the blood he was spilling away, but it did not hide his crime from the goddesses. At dawn, the rain goddess cursed him in a rage, tearing his face from him and making him look like the monster he had become. She took her gifts back, leaving him with only tattered replicas. However, Asari had already learned the powers and his murderous rampage allowed him to master them. He stole the three gifts back, then gave them to his son and began to instruct him in his deadly arts.

When Eiota became a man, he took the three gifts and used them to murder the goddess of rain for turning his father into a monster. The other two goddesses pursued him directly, ignoring the divine laws to destroy the one who had destroyed their sister. But their attempts were futile. Eiota and Asari killed them both as well. They had killed the three sisters so completely that there was no chance of even another god bringing them back to life.

With the death of its guardians, the land of Orre became wracked with storms, fires, and earthquakes. Magic went chaotic, intensifying the destruction. Nearly everyone living there died, unable to escape in time. No one was able to set foot in Orre for thirteen years after, as the uncontrollable destruction continued. When it cleared, there was nothing left of Orre's former glory. It was a godless land of death, a desert incapable of supporting life.

But the ones who caused Orre's destruction, Asari and his son Eiota, they survived. Their souls were completely corrupted as god-killers, but neither of them cared. They traveled on, passing on their now tainted gifts to their descendants and making sure that their legacy of death continued.

* * *

Back in Snowbelle, Calem let Mortan in on what what they'd talked about. He felt he should get back to the academy before the class meeting, to discuss it with Sycamore too. However, there were still a few more days and no more obvious clues on where to find Serena. Calem went to a cafe to get some snacks for his Pokemon and himself, then called her over his portable holocaster.

It didn't even connect; the unit brought up an error message of 'Account deactivated.' Calem double-checked the number and tried again, getting the same message. “Great, did she change her number?” he grumbled. Here they were trying to help her and she was making herself inaccessible. Since he couldn't reach her, he called Shauna. “Hey, did you know that Serena changed her holocaster number?”

“Eek, do you know her new number?!” she asked, making her holocaster unit shake. “I've been trying to reach her for a couple weeks now, but nobody seems to know where she's been since her birthday.”

Neo sighed; he was getting depressed again, which had Calem worried for him. “No, that's why I was calling you. I really need to get a hold of her; there's something she needs to know.”

Shauna was sad too. “Aww, this isn't good. I thought I knew her, you know, since I've lived with her in the dorms. But then I got a notice that she'd requested to live off-campus for next term. She didn't even tell me about it! I was going to try convincing her not to, but there's not much time until the new arrangements are set.”

“Sheesh, I’m starting to get really mad at her for all this,” Calem said. “She's been a real jerk.”

“Well there's got to be some reason behind it, although I don't know what,” she said, like she was trying to convince herself too. “Oh, but you be careful about getting mad. You can't be doing that.”

“I know, sorry,” he said, mentally kicking himself for not keeping calm about it. “At least she'll still be in our homeroom, since she can't change that without dropping out. Oh, and I need to meet with Sycamore about that issue. I've come up with some new information and we need to discuss how to deal with things now. You want to come help?”

“Sure!” she said, cheering up a little. “We'll get Trevs and Teirno there too. Is it about...?” There was a loud chime in the middle of their conversation, an emergency alert from the Holocaster News Network. “Oh wait, what's this?” Shauna asked, patching in the announcement.

After a second, an image of one of the HNN reporters, Malvia, appeared in the hologram. “We interrupt this channel's regular broadcast with an important news bulletin. We've received reports that just recently, former Kalos Champion Richard was admitted to a hospital in Snowbelle with grave injuries. It's not been made clear yet if this was an accident or an assault, but he was picked up just south of the Winding Woods near Snowbelle this afternoon...”

“Huh, was that what that helicopter was flying around for?” Calem wondered.

“Oh my gosh, this is terrible,” Shauna said. “I hope we can find Serena now; she's probably upset and needs her friends.”

“I think I'll stay here in Snowbelle for a while and see.”

But she didn't show up. Even when Calem went in during visiting hours and talked with Grace, she hadn't heard from her daughter either. Didn't even realize she'd changed her holocaster number. And now Richard was in a coma... maybe something bad had happened to Serena already.

* * *

Serena didn't come to the class meeting either, so Calem ended up spending several hours after it just talking to Neo. The Lucario still didn't want to give up on her, even if he felt discouraged in not finding her yet. At any rate, there were lots of signs that she still planned on being in school. She would have to show up then.

That evening, he went back to their homeroom to meet with his teacher and friends. With the school's magic interfering, he was able to retell the story he'd gotten from AZ, although he declined to say who exactly told it to him. He also talked about what Heinrich had told him about Olympia and the final test. “I don't want to claim the dagger quite yet, until I have a better grasp of what I should be doing,” he said.

“That's probably a good idea,” Sycamore said. “I hadn't realized Olympia knew about him; I’ll have to drop in and talk with her sometime about this.” Then he went up to the chalkboard and started making notes on it. “What all stands out about this to you kids? I'm interested in that this story takes place in Orre. That region used to not get a lot of attention because it still is a huge desert, so I'm not sure if they have any records of history that far back. But maybe they do.”

“Do you know the names of the goddesses?” Trevor asked.

Calem shook his head. “No, their names didn't make it into the story.” He wasn't sure if it was because AZ couldn't remember them or if Tymar hadn't told him that. Or maybe Tymar didn't even know, even as the sixth of the Asari line; the oldest two might have chosen to never speak those names again.

“It sounds like they got cursed because Asari was supposed to only kill one person, but he murdered everyone instead,” Teirno said. “Then maybe if you figured out how to use the powers without killing anyone? I don't know; how would you get forgiveness from a dead goddess?”

“It seems that way,” Calem said. “Although I'm not sure how I'm supposed to find forgiveness in this either.”

“What ways of getting out of it have others tried?” Trevor asked. “Let's figure that out so we know what not to do.”

Calem nodded. “Right. Well I can only think of two I know for certain who tried methods other than just not killing anyone. My great-grandfather tried to kill himself before the curse took hold. But it still counted and the Asari spirits made sure he survived. That made him completely insane. And... way back who knows when, Tymar Asari tried to use our powers to kill of someone who deserved to die because of how many others he hurt and killed. I guess his thinking was that the original mission had been to kill one person who harmed others greatly. That didn't work.”

“What if you were to become a hero and save people with your powers instead?” Shauna asked. “Because then you'd be doing more good than harm.”

“That'd be cool,” Teirno said with a smile. “But would it really work?”

It made Calem think. “It might, actually. Heinrich was able to be himself for the last couple of weeks of his life because he kept Yveltal in hibernation during the Great War. If the god had awoken, millions more would have died at the end of it. But he had already been marked, so it was too late for him. There was also one time when the Asari tried to make me push a little boy into freezing water. He ended up slipping in on accident and I saved hun instead of killing him. The pressure from the Asari cut right off for the rest of that day.”

“It's not something you could really control,” Sycamore said. “But if you keep your eyes and ears open and step in to help whenever possible, you might be able to chip away at their control over you.”

_Thus my paths would lead me to either being a hero or a villain. But Sycamore was right; it wasn't like I could just go out there and rescue people, since people don't always need rescuing. Still, I started working towards my goal. I helped others whenever I could and, on Korrina's advice, kept a positive attitude even with the terrible things I was dealing with. My Pokemon and I all worked towards being the best we could be, all in hopes of defeating the curse._

_And then there was what Serena was doing..._


	22. Challenge and Rebuttal

On the first day of school, most of Calem's homeroom classmates were eager to talk to him about the apprenticeship. “A lot of it was knowing how to treat Pokemon well so you become friends with them and they want to help you,” he said. “Which is important for anyone, not just someone who has a mega ring.”

“Everybody should be able to figure out that much,” Shauna said.

“You’d think so, anyhow,” Trevor said. “But a lot of people don't give Pokemon the credit they deserve. I heard somebody try to call Merlin simple minded, but I know he could probably complete some of the homework I do, and he'd be smart enough to make sure that I finished myself and didn't try to use his work.” The Meowstic purred at that.

At this point, Serena walked into the classroom. Along with the white school uniform, she was wearing a wide red hair ribbon that had a cluster of seven white flowers attached to it. Shauna jumped to her feet on seeing her. “Ah, Serena, you're here!”

She smiled and said, “Of course I’m here, silly. What would make you think I wouldn’t?”

Expecting her, Calem had brought Neo along with Korrina's blessing. But this time, the Lucario didn't immediately go towards her. He did bark softly and try to get her attention while staying near Calem's desk, but Serena didn't heed him as she sat in her usual place. “But we've been trying to call you like all summer,” Shauna said, going over to her. “Why’d you change your number, and go live off-campus this year, huh?”

“Because I could,” Serena said.

“But we wanted to help, especially when your dad turned up in a coma,” Teirno said. “Sorry about that.”

She bit her lip. “Oh, well... he'll live, I’m sure.”

That was it? Calem thought she would have had a stronger reaction to that at least. It seemed his friends thought the same, since they had an awkward moment when they glanced at each other, not sure what to say. Then another girl in the class said, “Hey, those are pretty flowers you have!”

That made Serena smile. “Yeah, aren't they just darling? I want to keep them close.”

“What are they? I haven't seen any like that?”

“They’re miracle flowers,” she said. “They’re really special; it's hard enough to find one of them.”

“That’s because they don't grow anywhere,” Mortan murmured on Calem's shoulder. “They only appear as gifts from Xerneas.”

“Hey Serena,” Calem said, concerned about her. “We really need to talk, on several things.”

She raised her eyebrows. “Oh? Well, later. I have something I want to talk to you about too.”

The school bell rang, so Professor Sycamore got the class started. “Welcome back, everyone, to your first year as upperclassmen,” he said, grinning. “That’s a great feeling, isn't it? You have a lot more freedom this year, but a lot more responsibility too. I'm sure you all can handle it. Now, anything interesting go on this summer that you want to tell everyone about?” There were several hands in the air, but Sycamore went with his usual semi-random approach and picked, “Serena, you're first. What's going on with you?”

Standing up for this, she pleasantly said, “I had several good things happen over the summer, but the thing I want to talk about isn't so good. The world's about to undergo an unprecedented catastrophe and if you don't choose wisely in the coming years, you could end up paying with your life.”

The classroom was left in silence for a moment, as no one was sure if she was being serious.

* * *

_Serena's proclamation at the start of classes was a sign of things to come. Team Flare got really aggressive in advertising its views, in particular about their prediction of catastrophe. Every time, they said the best decision to save yourself and those you cared about was to join them. And they still had that ridiculous five million dollar membership fee. According to them, that was fine as money would be worth nothing in face of the coming disaster._

_Back to the first day of our fifth year at LMA, Serena said she wanted to talk to me, but she joined her Flare Club friends for lunch. It wasn't until after classes that I got a chance to speak with her. Now every year, LMA would have a party for us at the end of first day classes. While a lot of them were fun for me and my friends, the only really important one to know for this story is the fifth year's party. That's when I finally got to talk to Serena, after trying to find her for half the summer._

Many students were having fun at this year's party, dancing by the live band or playing games with each other. But it didn't seem that happy for their group, since Shauna was still upset. “I hope she didn't think I was an awful roomie,” she said, sounding dejected. “I made sure to keep my things neat too, most of the time.”

“Hey, it seems like she did this without her parents knowing either, so I don't think it was you,” Teirno said.

Spotting her nearby, Calem stood up from the flowerbed wall they'd been sitting on. “Well I have to talk with her anyhow, so I’ll see if I can get her to apologize to you,” he said. “Neo, you ready?”

“Hmm,” the Lucario said, probably having second thoughts now. But he nodded and walked over with him. The other three soon followed, but they kept back to listen instead of joining just yet.

“Oh Calem, here you are,” Serena said, smiling at him. “There’s something important we need to talk about.”

“Yes, a few things,” he said seriously.

“Hmm? Oh yeah, you said so before. What do you have in mind?” She tilted her head, although if she was trying to get him to go along with her, it wasn't working as well now.

“Well first of all, you got those miracle flowers from Xerneas, didn't you?” he asked. The group from Serena's club were listening in too, so this got a number of them curious about how he knew that. Mortan had told him, as well as, “They have a divine power, mostly for healing but they can make just about anything happen. So why haven't you tried to use one on your father?”

“How do you know I haven’t tried?” she asked, annoyed briefly.

He wasn’t going to let her bluff her way out of this. “Because your mother told me that you never visited him once,” Calem said. “I spoke to her last night and she's upset about him and you.”

Her ears turned pink. “Well... he'll be fine, I know it. And besides, the flowers can make anything happen, good or bad. So each of them needs careful consideration before trying anything.”

Given they were made by Xerneas, he wasn't about to argue with that. “I suppose. And another thing; you know this Lucario?”

“No,” she said. “I figured he was just another Pokemon of yours.”

“Rrrr,” Neo growled softly, flicking his ears.

Patting the Pokemon, Calem said, “Well you should. He's one of the two that's almost always hanging around Korrina. You know, Neo? The one who's been friendly and eager with you nearly every time you've met?” When she still drew a blank on the Lucario, he added, “The one you rejected at the Tower of Mastery?”

“Rejected is an awful harsh term for turning down an offer,” Serena said. “Okay, fine, I kind of know him. But how am I supposed to pick him out from any other Lucario?”

“Could you be less harsh in talking about Neo in front of him?” Calem asked. “He's been depressed ever since that day, but he's been trying to contact you anyhow because he has a message for you.”

“From Korrina?”

He shook his head. “No, Neo himself has something to tell you.”

“That’s silly. How's he supposed to give a message if he can't talk?”

Neo was growling again. “A Lucario can sense and manipulate aura to a degree, so they can pass on messages if the recipient is willing to listen,” Calem said. He couldn't lose his patience here and now, not with so many people around him. And watching them talk, but he was starting not to care how this would look to others. “I've gotten a few things from him just in working with him this summer, one of them being his message for you. He's had a vision, one where there's a great chance that you'll die before you turn nineteen. He's been trying for a few years now to become your friend and help protect you from that possibility. Although with how you're acting recently, it seems like he might decide not to go with that offer.”

“I wouldn't take him anyhow,” Serena said. “Besides, how could a Lucario have a vision of the future like that? They've got the wrong aura types. I think that's pretty unlikely to happen.”

For a moment, Calem was more worried about Neo than Serena. He had jumped off the tower last time she rejected him. Although, as Leo had later demonstrated in the Gym, falling great distances wasn't a big problem to them if they were near a wall to slow themselves down to a safe degree. Neo didn't run off this time, thankfully. Instead, he grabbed Calem's shirt and moved to just behind him, working to control his own temper.

Since he didn't respond, Serena moved on to her own topic. “Well I’ve got something more definite to say. You and I were both chosen as potential apprentices back at the tower, but only you ended up with it. So I've had a great idea; why don't you and I become rivals? I want to find out if that training really made you any stronger and what you might have that I don't. After all, what better way is there of getting better than having someone to compete against?”

That was what she thought was important to talk about? “No!” he shouted, glaring at her. She looked shocked at that, so he explained it. “I won't be your rival because a rival is someone you respect. And I can't respect you now.”

“Wh-what?” she asked, caught in something she hadn't expected.

“How am I supposed to respect someone who blows off the fact that her father has been in a coma for over a month?” Calem asked. “Or cut off everyone she knows without warning? Or makes Shauna upset... Shauna never gets upset for long over anything, but you've had her just about in tears because you moved out on your own without telling her anything! You even make Pokemon upset at what you do and you don't even care about them one bit. You keep focused on beating the Pokemon League, but I bet that you'll never even get on Victory Road by your own merit because at some point, your tactics aren't going to be able to do a thing and the last leaders will beat you every time.”

“How do you know about that?” she asked in anger, then hurriedly tried to correct it by saying, “How can you think that? You're not a good judge because you've never beaten me, with no badges and just one easy proof.”

Partly to calm himself down (really didn't need to lose his temper...), he recited something from the Tower of Mastery murals. “Overwhelming strength can only take you so far. If you do not care about your Pokemon, then they will not care about you. What will it matter to them if they're under your command or someone else's? They will be just as strong either way, so they will not feel the need to put forth more than minimal effort which will not bring about victory. If you do care about your Pokemon and show it to them often, they will care for you equally as much. Then they will always be at their best at your side, because they will put forth all their effort to bringing victory in honor of your friendship. That is the power of bonds and that is exactly where you failed to earn the apprenticeship.”

“Bonds are a ridiculous excuse for those who have no talent,” Serena said, acting like he'd offended her. “Pokemon don't get stronger just because they like a particular person.”

“It's not just Pokemon,” he said. “Neo noticed it too even though he hasn't been around you that much. The bonds you have with nearly everyone are deteriorating because you've grown a horribly rotten attitude towards everyone. That's going to end up ruining you more than anything as people realize you only connect to others just to make yourself look good. If you keep going like this, people are going to stop caring about you. I just about have because I’m fed up with what you've been doing. Go ahead and think about yourself, but that’s going to end up with you only seeing yourself because no one else will be there with you. Come on, Neo, let's go.”

Neo barked in agreement and took his hand while they walked back to the flowerbed. Shauna, Teirno, and Trevor soon followed them over. Meanwhile, Serena stamped her foot in anger and went off with a few others.

“Sorry about that, Shauna,” Calem said.

“You don’t have to apologize,” she said, crossing her arms over her chest and seeming disappointed. “That was Serena's fault. Oo, I wish she'd stop being a jerk. I wanted to stay friends with her.”

“We all did,” Trevor said.

_I had several other students come up to me later and say that Serena deserved that; I came out of there with more respect around school than she did. Her popularity around school rapidly declined because of our confrontation. At first, it didn't seem to matter. She stuck with her group of friends from the Flare Club and they all became more isolated from the rest of the student body. Even so, their numbers started to grow. It was the same with Team Flare itself. Their behaviors drove them away from others, but their numbers increased as they spread their warnings of an impending catastrophe._

_As for Neo, I offered to send him back to Korrina or to keep him with my team. I would have needed to rotate my battle team members around if I did. But he had his own ideas. Without using Mortan as a translator, he let me know that he wanted to work with the academy teachers who gave instruction on Pokemon battling and care. He would be a part of LMA's classes and in that way, he hoped to find the person he was really meant to be with. I wished him luck in that and let the teacher know of his wishes when I went to make the offer._

* * *

One nice thing about this year was that he knew that his school bills were paid off, so he didn't have to keep up the volunteer work. That was one less thing to juggle onto his schedule. Although, it was almost immediately replaced by the battle class he was taking, which required students to participate in a certain number of Pokemon battles every week and keep a battle log. He managed to keep up on it, so this Friday afternoon, he found himself with a few free hours while his friends were busy with other things. Calem decided to check on a couple of the places he used to volunteer for to see if they needed an extra hand for that time.

He was about a block from campus when a voice shouted for him out of the crowd. “Ho, follower of shadows! State your intentions for being out in the open!”

He turned and saw a familiar pair coming towards them. They had white uniforms like that of the LMA students, but they also had long flowing scarves (blue for the young man, and pink for the young woman) and masquerade masks that matched their scarves. But even with the masks, it was soon apparent who they were. “Oh, hey Dexio, Sina,” Calem said.

“Who are you talking about?” Sina asked, a bit too dramatic for a simple question. “We know of no such people, as fabulous as their names are.”

“That’s right,” Dexio said. “We are the Warriors of Love, Defenders of Kalos! I am the shining beacon of hope, Stellar Blue Harmonizer!”

“And I am the joyful bringer of peace, Smoky Pink Melodia! We are here to keep the people of Lumiose safe from all evil! Huzzah!” Then they both made golden sparkles appear around them, a magic trick that he'd seen Shauna do before.

These two were crazy. But, it looked like a fun sort of crazy. “Well all right then,” Calem said, nodding. “Good to meet you both.”

“Good to meet you,” Sina first said cheerily, then stopped herself. “Hey, wait a minute! Don't you go tricking me, dark one! We're here to make sure you're not causing any trouble, not to be exchanging good days.”

“Yeah, so what are you up to?” Dexio asked.

“I was going to volunteer for a few hours at the soup kitchen if they needed the help,” he said. “You’d probably be going against your credo to keep me from that.”

“That would, wouldn't it?” Sina said.

“Unless you're using your volunteer work to cover up something more insidious,” Dexio said. “Which is entirely possible.”

Very possible, Calem thought, if not in his case. “Hey, maybe I was born into darkness, but I’m not going to let it rule me. I'm not up to anything insidious today.”

“Do you swear that you're honestly not?” Sina asked, striking a pose.

“Yes, I swear it,” he said.

They both grinned. “That’s good, but we must still work for the sake of justice,” Dexio said. “Which means, we should take in and guide you on the proper path of being a hero.”

Sina nodded. “Yes, it's a difficult path to choose, but the benefits for everyone are great. Come on, you can join us on our patrol of the streets of Lumiose, to make sure all things are good and peaceful.”

For a moment, Calem wondered if Sycamore had asked them to do this or if they decided on their own. They seemed to know some things that they couldn't learn easily. Besides, they probably wouldn't actually go out and run into trouble. “All right, thanks for your kindness,” he said. “What do I need to know?”

“Well first you need a heroic name and a heroic costume,” Sina said, heading further down the sidewalk.. “But we don’t have time to get that together right now, so we'll figure out a name and let you follow us around. Come on.”

“I have a costume,” Calems said, rubbing his neck where the ribbon was. “Sort of. But you'd lose track of me in the crowd unless you always keep your eyes on me. See?” He activated the cowl and started following them. Being in the street in the middle of the afternoon, the dark gray cowl was rather noticeable to sight.

“It looks more villainous, but I suppose you'd be an anti-hero anyhow,” Dexio said. “It might work. How about we call you the Fading Black Rhythm?”

“Noooo, he should be Light Bearing Dark,” Sina said. The two of them argued for a while about his hero name, while Calem dismissed the cowl and followed them around the Lumiose streets.

They didn't really do much heroic other than talking about special (probably made-up) heroic spells and secret mystical techniques, like they were living in a superhero cartoon. When they got to South Boulevard, Calem noticed something odd. Some of the trees around Lumiose had flowers on them. He'd seen them flower before, but not in September.

The two 'heroes' were soon paying attention to a young girl who was looking up into one of the flowering trees, trying to reach for a branch that was just out of her reach. “Careful there, sweetie pie,” Sina said. “Even at your petite size, I’m not sure if those branches can support you.”

Shyly stepping back, the girl said, “Um, mmm, mmy my Espurr friend is stuck in the tree, I um think. She, um, won't come down.”

“Ah, then we'll help you get her down,” Dexio said. “For we are heroes, and helping others is what we do, in the name of love!”

“Murr?” a questioning meow came from the tree. An Espurr was indeed up there, hanging close to the central trunk. The branch was bending a little under her weight, as this wasn't that big of a tree. Still, the Pokemon was just out of reach of all of them.

“Um, okay?” the girl said, uncertain.

“We could cast a soft cyclone to whisk her off and safely to the ground,” Dexio said.

“That would wreck the tree, which is against our policy,” Sina said, putting a hand on her hip. “Harming the environment is for villains. We'll use telekinesis to pick her up.”

“But you're not very good at that.”

Meanwhile, Calem took off his backpack to open it up. He'd been participating in Pokemon battles earlier and someone in the club suggested getting fresh galettes from a place on North Boulevard to help Pokemon recover after battle. They made small ones suitable for many Pokemon and Calem had bought a dozen that morning. Finding the box, he took one out and held it up in the tree. “Hey, I’ll give you a treat if you come down.”

“Mew,” the Espurr said, reaching out with a paw. But the branch shifted and she went back to clinging to the trunk, not feeling secure.

Then Yorick appeared out of his Pokeball. The Gengar easily passed through the branches. “Gehehe.”

“Be nice,” Calem warned him.

Yorick chuckled, making the Espurr's gray fur fluff out more than usual. But he did pick her off the trunk gently and carried her past the branches to put her down. After giving him a wary look, the Espurr went back to the girl. “Mya!”

“You’re down!” the girl said, hugging her Pokémon.

Smiling, Calem rubbed Yorick's head. “Good, that's more of what you should be doing.” He took out two more galettes and gave one to Yorick as a reward. Then he offer the other two to the girl and her Espurr. “Here, go ahead and have them. I have plenty.” Not anymore, but he would buy some more tomorrow anyhow, so there were fresh ones for the battles then.

“Thank you, sir,” the girl said, taking them. “You guys are weird, but you're nice.”

“Emma!” an old woman called. “Come back inside!”

“Coming, Nana!” she called back. “Um, bye.” She hurried off back home with her Espurr following right behind her.

“Haha, well those ways work well too,” Sina said.

“Oh, but he must be a hero already if he has heroic Pokemon,” Dexio said. “Like Pokemon, like Trainer. Keep up the good deeds, Weathered Raven.”

“No, he's Shadow of Divine!” Sina insisted.

“Don’t you guys think it's odd that the trees are blooming?” Calem asked. He hadn't yet decided what hero name he wanted and they'd probably keep at it for another ten minutes if he let them.

“Hmm?” Sina said, then looked at the tree. “I don't know much about trees, but it is odd to see in autumn.”

“My gran...” Dexio started to say, then coughed and corrected himself. “My master in hero-ing said that if certain trees bloomed twice in one year, then it was an omen of bad times to come. Hah, then it's good we found another Defender of Kalos! We might need all the help we can get!”

“Let's go find out if these are the bad omen ones!” Sina said, then the two of them rushed down the street.

“Eh, I've been chasing them around for a couple of hours,” Calem said. “Let’s go find a cafe for some coffee to go with the last couple of galettes I have, since I haven't tried them yet.”

The nearest cafe was one he hadn't tried before, Cafe Soliel. It was a very popular one. Whenever he'd checked it out before, it had always been packed. It was busy now as well, but there were a few seats left. As long as he didn't have his whole team out, he should be fine getting a place to sit for a short time. He bought a cup of their house blend to try.

While looking around the room for a spot to sit, Calem spotted an empty seat near someone familiar. Diantha again; she was talking with a pair of men he didn't recognize. Might as well try. He went over and said, “Hello, funny running into you in here.”

She looked up at him, then burst into laughter. “Ah, Calem! Yes, it is very funny that you should arrive just now. Come on, sit down, this should be good. Guys, this is a student from LMA, as you can see, Calem; he's Miss Roselia's great-grandson. Calem, this is a director I'm working for, Kevin Lensin, and a fellow actor, Jack Neilson.”

“That is quite a coincidence,” Kevin said, smiling. “We were discussing about the movie about Miss Roselia.”

“Oh yeah, how is that coming along?” Calem asked, happy to sit at the table with them if they were going to talk about his Gran. Yorick put a paw on the table and looked over them. Hopefully he'd stay put knowing that Calem had more galettes.

“We’re hoping to finally get around to filming it this fall,” Kevin said. “There’s been two aborted attempts so far, and other delays. I'm just glad you decided to stick with the project, Di.”

Diantha nodded. “Of course, I really want to see it get done too. See, Calem, we've had some trouble finalizing the script. The story is meant to be about Miss Roselia and the way she put an end to the rain assassin's time of terror. But the crew's split in half because it's unclear how she got him captured. Some think it was in a Pokemon battle, which I don’t think is like her. Others want to make it into a half romance because they think she talked him into giving up.”

“But then that would be uncharacteristic of what we know of the assassin,” Jack said. “It would make for a good movie, though. Mix some romance into the action and intrigue.”

“Well if we can't prove either case, I’d rather go with what would make the better movie,” Kevin said.

That was easy to answer, although it made him wonder if he should reveal that. Heinrich had been worried about Beatrice's reputation... but then, it was long after the Great War. And just maybe, if the story got out there through a good movie, people might accept it easier. “What if I told you that I have the love letters to prove that he's my great-grandfather?” he asked.

Jack raised an eyebrow while Kevin sat up in surprise. And Diantha squealed in delight. “Wow, really? That's amazing! So were they both in love?”

He nodded. “From what I can tell, yes. She actually went and visited him on the day he was executed, so I have all the letters between them. Although, they were both worried about others finding out about them, especially making her look bad. But see, his powers, and mine for that matter, are the result of a curse and she helped to free him from it in the last part of his life. I think if that version got out, then people might appreciate them better. Plus he kept Yveltal from awakening during the war, so that would be good too.”

“That would make for a great addition,” Kevin said, looking thoughtful. “We’re definitely doing this to honor Miss Roselia's memory, but it could be interesting to honor him as well.”

“What powers did he have?” Jack asked. “I was mostly going to work from rumors and a handful of witness accounts; he's very much an enigma.”

He didn't feel much resistance from the Asari, but he knew they were there. “You should probably talk to Professor Sycamore about that. He can explain why I can't. Just let him know that I gave you permission to know about it. Oh, and there's three items associated with us, just so you know.” He brought his left foot into his lap so he could reveal the anklet. “This is one, and then there's a cowl that I’m wearing, just in its choker form. There's also a dagger, but I haven't gone to retrieve it yet.”

_So yes, the movie was accurate to some degree because they had help from me on the final script. I know there's a number of people who think the romance part of that movie was made up for screen drama, and I have tried to correct them many times. Fortunately, it seems that most people still think positively on Gran, so I’m grateful for that. I never want to dishonor her._


	23. Miracle Flowers

_For our fifth year homeroom project, Sycamore had us designing some scientific experiments for the Pokemon specific minerals like Pinsirite. That gave me an excuse to find a Gengarite and a Mawilite for my two other Pokemon that we knew could mega evolve. The first was came up quick; I found someone online selling an amulet made with Gengarite, so I went to buy it in Laverre one weekend. Mawilite was not so easy. In November, our class went out on a camping trip to some mines in the northeastern mountains where such minerals were often found._

_We soon found out that these mountains were special in another way._

One of the locals who dug in the mines often gave them a lecture on safety in the mines. Much of it seemed common sense, although telling when a wall might collapse in time to get away might be tough. Calem figured he could get by with his senses, although it was reassuring to know that the experienced miners would be in there with them, just in case. But the last part of his lecture was surprising. “Now I'm sure you've noticed the yellow tape blocking off one of the entrances; there's a few others tunnels also taped off inside. Don't be going down those tunnels because last week, somebody came across the resting place of Yveltal in here.”

“Wow, there's a god asleep in here?” Shauna asked, amazed.

The miner nodded. “And we'll be wanting to keep him asleep, so a bunch of us are going to spend next week sealing up his area so nobody else gets in. Keep away from him, or you might awaken him and end up as the one who brings death to half the region. Besides, we're pretty sure he doesn't want to be disturbed either.”

As interesting as it might have been to see a god, the students agreed that this one shouldn't be disturbed. They stuck to the tunnels they were brought into, searching mostly for the Pokemon minerals but sometimes taking a few other interesting rocks they came across. Calem brought Starlet out and had her helping him. Since Nibbles had picked out her stone, he figured the best way to get the right mineral was to have her look at the rocks.

Calem pried out one rock that was blue-gray, after several minutes of carefully picking it out. He could feel it was the right kind of mineral, but not which Pokemon it would be linked to. So he held it out for Starlet to see. “What about this one?”

She sniffed at it, then made a face of disgust. Not Mawilite. Calem took it over to the bin where they were keeping the Pokemon minerals to study in class later on. As he started to head back to where Starlet was still cracking rocks, Sycamore stopped him. “Hey, did you see where Serena went? I've got everyone accounted for except for her.”

“She’s further down the tunnel, around a bend,” he said.

“I see. Would you go check on her? Let her know that she should come back over here and tell me how the digging's going.”

He didn't really want to go talk to her on his own, but if it was just a quick message... “All right,” Calem said.

“I'll go with you,” Shauna said.

“Go where?” Teirno asked.

“Going to talk to Serena further down the tunnel,” Calem said.

As it ended up, Teirno and Trevor followed along too. She wasn't very far down the side tunnel and it wasn't one of the blocked off ones. Still, she was leaning on the wall by herself, with none of her Pokemon out and just a single lantern. She wasn't digging or looking for rocks. Rather, she seemed to be thinking by herself. Maybe even sad? It was hard to tell in the light.

“Serena!” Shauna called out cheerily. “What have you been up to? You're gonna get a zero for the day if you keep hiding.”

“It won't matter,” she said, although not in her usual haughty tone.

“Yes it does,” Shauna said. “Who gonna fight with Trevor over who has the highest grade if you don't work?”

“I’m not gonna fight anyone for it,” Trevor said.

“Well you're so close to each other every year that it's like that,” Teirno said, to which Trevor shrugged.

“Professor Sycamore wants you to report in on your progress so far today,” Calem said. “He sounded worried about you.”

“It won't really matter,” she repeated. “All of you are missing the big picture; something terrible is going to happen and you need to focus on how to save yourselves.”

“What kind of disaster do you think is coming?” Calem asked. “Flare's not been terribly clear on what they'd talking about.”

“How can it be any clearer?” she said, now pacing around. “Our world... the powers that rule it are constantly shifting to keep it in balance. But lately, human development has thrown things well out of balance in ways that apparently weren't anticipated. The old system doesn't work anymore and it's going to completely fall apart. There's more and more humans and Pokemon in the world, but increases in food and space can't keep up with the progress. Soon, the old gods might decide to cut down on everything to get the world back in the shape it should be. Or we might even do something that will cause the world to break down into ugliness and anarchy. And that turning point is fast approaching.”

“I've heard about that,” Shauna said. “But I don't think it's going to happen that soon. People are smart, so we'll figure things out before it gets too bad.”

“But what's going to be done about it is,” she paused, not sure about continuing.

“Whatever it is, it's not going to do anyone good to give up on everything else,” Calem said. “It might not be something that can be solved easily, but we've got responsibilities right now to keep doing well in school. Besides, if you graduate with honors, people would be more willing to listen to you.”

“Well what if there's not even that much time?” Serena asked. “What then?”

“Is this about Neo's vision?” he asked, surprised that she remembered after turning the Pokemon down again.

She shook her head, but then thought about it. “Well no... although, there's something about this place that reminded me of it. Like it might be real. But that's, I’ve never heard of Lucario reading the future. Gardevoir, sure, maybe Noctowl and some others. I should be safe, since I'm with Flare.”

“I don't know about that,” Trevor said, surprising the rest of them. He blushed when they turned to him, then looked over at Merlin. “Well, uh, it's just... Merlin actually talked to Neo in class that day, so I heard about it too, from him. You guys didn't really talk about it, but, um...” he rubbed his head.

“There was another part to it,” Calem said when Trevor was having trouble being the center of attention. “Part of the reason Neo wanted to go with you was that he sensed, over the years he's been trying to contact you, that your bonds with everyone have been weakening except for the one most likely to kill you. And your father didn't trust Lysandre either. That was the reason he went to Winding Woods after you; he was worried about what you were getting into with Flare. I think he made contact with Xerneas too, but now Xerneas is missing. What do you know about that?”

“How do you know about any of that?” Serena asked, confused.

“I talked with your dad before he got in trouble. As for Xerneas, well, it's some of my other friends that have told me that they sensed him awake, but then he vanished as suddenly as he came.”

“You do have some friends who can find out about the strangest stuff,” Teirno said. “Like about your family. But how do they know?”

Calem didn’t really want to tell them everything, like about Mortan. But maybe something to satisfy their curiosity for the time being. “Yes, but, I can’t really introduce you to the one who really helped me out. From my enhanced senses, I was able to find the wandering king.”

“You know AZ?” Serena asked, shocked to hear that.

“Wow, you really can make friends with just about anybody,” Trevor said. “My mother says she saw him once, but like most people, she couldn’t get him to talk with her and didn’t see him again.”

Calem shrugged. “Well when you can sense aura, he’s hard to miss with all the history following him. And I know I got lucky to start talking with him. From what I can tell, he’s not that bad now even if he made a terrible mistake long ago. And he is worried about Xerneas going missing.”

After Serena didn't say anything for a moment, Shauna said, “What is going on with you, Serena? We've all been worried about you this year.”

After a sigh, Serena said, “We were going to awaken Xerneas to help awaken people to how troubling things are. And that was it, or supposed to be from what I knew. He was supposed to be awake but free to roam around; we were sure that he’d be troubled by the same thing and make it more obvious to others. Then I overheard some things, and well... I don't know what happened to Xerneas after I met him, since he told me to leave the forest. I didn't run into my father and I was told that he was okay, but then I heard things from others... is he really in a coma?”

“Yeah, it’s pretty bad,” Shauna said. “I visited him for a bit but it's like he's asleep and can't wake up.”

“I visited him too, and have talked with your mother a few times,” Calem said. “They really are worried about you, more sad than angry that you haven't spoken with them.”

“Well if they had showed that concern earlier,” Serena said, then stopped herself. “I missed them a bit, but, um... it shouldn't matter, but then... you guys should really join Team Flare. That's the only way to be sure that you're safe and have a future. But then I don't know...” She frowned, trying to work through this in her mind.

“I'd rather not because they've been mean to Calem,” Teirno said. “And because they don't seem to care about what happens to anyone else as long as they're safe and happy, whatever they mean by that.”

That puzzled her. “How’re they being mean? Lysandre’s been supporting him in going to our school.”

“Yes, but they haven’t let up on pressuring me over what happened in Geosenge when we were there,” Calem said. “They weren’t going to let me go with just a polite refusal on my part, especially on something about Yveltal. And like I said, I know AZ and through him, I’ve noticed that they seem to be looking for the ultimate machine he made. That and Xerneas being gone are troubling signs.”

“I thought it was going to be someone else, but, uh,” Serena sounded uneasy, glancing around. “I guess I should look into some things, although I did promise about doing another thing. Though, it's surprising you guys would still be worried about me, after just about everyone else in school seems to be ignoring me now.”

That was a result of their argument at the back to school party, Calem thought. Still, he said, “Of course we're worried about you. We're your friends. And, I am sorry for lashing out at you like that back then, but I just really wanted you to see what you were missing and was frustrated when you didn’t seem to get it.”

“Yeah, we’ll still be friends if you want us!” Shauna said, bouncing in place. “I mean, sounds like you're going through something tough, but we're here to help you get out if you need it. Just, maybe not joining Flare, because anyone who wants to stop a danger needs to think of everybody, not just a few.”

“Yes, there's usually another solution to a problem that big,” Trevor said. “Don’t let them fool you into believing just one view; we need to consider many views to really know something.”

“We'll stick up for you, no matter who's causing you trouble,” Teirno said. “Just don’t forget to listen to people and think about how they feel too.”

“You guys are too good,” Serena said, ashamed and looking away. “Um, all right, just... tomorrow, I’ll go visit dad. And, um, here.” She took the clip of flowers off her hairband; even though she'd been wearing it since school started this year, the flowers hadn't wilted a bit. She took one and gave it to Calem. “You guys take some of these.”

“Thanks,” Calem said, although he wasn't sure what to do with it. Maybe she'd give one to her father tomorrow.

“Wow, yeah,” Shauna said, taking hers. “They’re miracle flowers, right? What do they do?”

“They make miracles happen,” Serena said, giving one to Teirno. “Past that, I'm not sure how to trigger them or what they'd do. But you can tell they're powerful, right?” She gave one to Trevor.

“They are,” Trevor said, but then the one in his hand gave off a bright glow and exploded into more petals than it had. He yelped and stumbled back, nearly tripping had Merlin not caught his hand.

“You okay?” Shauna asked, turning to him.

“Yeah, it just surprised me,” Trevor said, getting his footing back. “What is it, Merlin?”

“Myaaaa,” the Meowstic said, pricking his ears forward.

“It changed your aura,” Calem said, moving closer to him. “Hey, look me in the eyes.” When Trevor nodded and did so, Calem could see it easier. “That changed your aura instability into something else.”

“Wow, you're cured!” Shauna said, jumping in place. “It is a miracle!”

“Yeah, but what did it change into?” Trevor asked, worried but amazed that it had gone so simply.

“Something to do with flowers,” Calem said. “Try casting a spell.”

“All right,” he said, grinning. He cast a light spell, which should have simply lit up the area. The orb it produced did so, as well as caused a trio of daisies to tumble down. “Oh, so it makes flowers appear every time I use magic?”

“Looks that way,” Calem said.

“Wow, I wish I could do that,” Shauna said. “You could make an awesome hero like that!”

“Or a really good florist, I guess,” Teirno said.

“It’ll be a lot easier to deal with then potentially making things explode any time I cast,” Trevor said. “Thanks Serena! Wow, I can't wait to show my parents this.”

“I'm glad it could help,” Serena said, smiling. She agreed to go back with them then, but remained worried through the day.

But she'd given her word that she'd visit her father at least. That should be enough to change her mind.

_And Starlet had managed to find a Mawilite while I was talking with Serena, so it looked like things were going well. However, it was some time before I got an amulet made for Starlet too. Several things happened later that day and they weren’t all good._

* * *

The train station was a quiet place that evening. He could hear a faint roar from the waterfalls nearby. If he looked out from the open station, there was a great view of them from this elevated portion of town. The setting sun caused the misty air to take an orange hue, close to the red color of the sky. It seemed an ominous kind of thing, even if it was just a trick of the weather.

He heard footsteps from someone else coming up the stairs. To his surprise, it was Serena. “Oh, there you are,” she said, smiling. “What are you doing here?”

“Catching the next train back to Lumiose,” he said. “I’m not spending the night here.”

“Why not? I was thinking of talking to you guys by the waterfalls, since it's nice over there.”

He shook his head. “I can't stay. Although, you haven't heard about it.”

“What about?” she asked.

Since she seemed genuinely interested, he said, “You remember the night we spent in Parfum Palace last year, and how I went home early too? Professor Sycamore had to use Fly to get me back to school, so we decided not to risk it this time. There's a curse on my family which can turn us into faceless monsters if we kill anyone, and there's a few of my ancestors who will go to great lengths to turn us crazy so we join them. When I’m at the school, the magic there interferes enough that no one's in danger. But out here, there's nothing to stop them from trying to overtake me when I'm asleep.”

“Are you joking?” she asked. When he shook his head, she put her hand to her cheek. “Oh, well... I guess it is better that you go back. Sounds terrible though.”

Calem shrugged. “At first, but I’m working out how to get out of their control. As long as I keep control of myself and don’t kill, then I’m fine. And if I work against their agenda by doing good things, they have a harder time controlling me. Until I’m sure of myself, though, I'm going to keep staying at places like school and the Tower of Mastery so others are safe from me.”

“The miracle flower might be able to counter that; it undid Trevor's problem.”

“I don't know if it will or not,” he said, touching the flower where it was in his jacket pocket. “But like you said, there's no control over what it does. I'll try keeping it on me, just in case.”

“I hope it does work,” she said.

“Lysandre knows about it, although I’m not sure how much he knows,” Calem said. “I am worried if he’ll try to blackmail me with that. Or worse, if he finds the method they used to control my great-grandfather during the Great War. I don’t if it would work on me while I’m unmarked, but if it does, then all my efforts will be for nothing.”

“I don’t think he’d do that, at least, he shouldn’t,” Serena said.

“Why do you trust him so much?” he asked. “I’m just wondering; he’s made me nervous ever since I first met him.”

There was a loud cry from a Pokemon around the waterfall that distracted them briefly, but it seemed to be someone on the deck playing with a Gyarados in the pool at the waterfall’s base. It was a bit amusing even to see this little bit of, as a young man was hurling balls up to the top of the waterfall for the Gyarados to retrieve. After smiling briefly, Serena answered him with, “Well it’s mostly because he seemed to understand how I felt, about a lot of things.”

“Like what?” The train seemed to be late, but he didn’t mind that much now that someone was here to talk with him.

“Like with your family being so busy with their own lives that you practically raise yourself after a certain age,” she said. “Even before I started at the academy, there were months where I hardly saw my parents.”

“I thought your mother quit her career as a Rhyhorn racer after you were born,” Calem said. There had been quite a deal a few years back when she returned; it had been all over the television networks for a few days.

Serena shook her head. “Well she quit that, but not everything else she was doing. When I was a little kid, she’d dress me up and drag me off to charity events all over the world. Sometimes it was fun, but I always had to be on my best behavior and couldn’t be loud or running around. And I remember her being on the phone a lot or having her friends over, leaving me to the Chateau staff who expected me to be properly behaved as a young lady. Really, it’s like they expect descendants of royalty or nobility to be born with perfect manners and there’s a lot of pressure to come up to everyone’s expectations. Lysandre understood me because he went through the same kind of thing when he was a kid. You come under a lot of critical observation being put on a pedestal just because of your heritage.”

“Well you don’t have to stay on the pedestal now if you don’t want to,” Calem said. “Find out who you really want to be rather than trying to keep up with what others want you to be.”

“It’s not that easy,” she said, nearly sighing. “Sometimes I don’t mind it and I’m sure I could find my own way at any rate. But in the next five years or so, well,” she rubbed her head.

“What about the next five years?” he asked, hoping that she would keep talking. And that the train would stay a few minutes late, just in case.

“Lysandre wants to put his plan into action in the next five years,” she said. “It is drastic, but he says that such drastic actions must be taken before the problems in the world become lasting disasters.”

“Lasting?”

She nodded. “Haven’t you notice? The world’s been put into danger many times over history. Even since the Great War, when people all talk about peace and want to avoid conflict. There were rumors that the worldwide Rocket organization was going to set off new wars to claim power, and there’s always rumors that they’re building themselves back up again. And more certainly, there’ve been other groups who’ve tried to ruin the world for crazed ideals, even harnessing the powers of the gods to do so. Something’s gravely wrong in the world that not even stopping those madmen will keep it from a lasting global disaster, and Lysandre wants to address that problem directly.”

“With AZ’s machine?” Calem asked. Because that solution seemed as bad as those problems.

“He hasn’t mentioned anything like that, to me at least,” Serena said. But it seemed she had her doubts too. “But… well now I’m not sure if he is being straight with me. I suppose it depends on my father’s condition, and what’s going on with Xerneas.” She bit her lip, then looked right at him. “Was he really worried about Lysandre’s influence on me?”

Calem nodded. “Right, he wasn’t sure how to interpret his interest in you, what with the gifts and visiting.”

“It’s not like that,” Serena insisted. “He said that I was important to him because I had a good chance at speaking with the gods if I found them, and he wanted the gods to help convince people that there is a crisis in the world even as it seems peaceful. Geez…”

“Well he’s your father, so he’s going to worry about that kind of thing,” he said.

“I guess, but he could be as bad as Mom sometimes with being away. While I do appreciate the amount of effort it took for him to win both Championship titles, it meant that he was away from home a lot. And even when he was at home, eventually home came to be the Chateau more than our home in Vaniville and I wasn’t allowed to be around the battle rooms until I had a Pokemon of my own. Plus, for the longest time it seemed like the only reason anybody knew me was because I was his daughter. Everybody would talk about what he was doing, not what I was trying to accomplish. By the time I was ten, I was already sick of that.”

“My Dad was gone a lot for being a Pokemon battler too,” Calem said. “Only, he lost just about as often as he won, so he wasn’t well known. But he eventually realized that he was leaving me and Mom out too often. I think your father’s starting to realize that too, or maybe even has, based on what little I’ve talked to him.” And he was starting to realize that it may have been how his father had dealt with their family curse. Had his Pokemon restrained him as well? His father did have a surpassingly nice Scizor, but maybe even he had used his power to counter his Trainer.

“Maybe.” The train whistled as it came into the station from the east, so there wasn’t much longer to talk. “I guess I’ll ask him, if he’s up to it,” she said.

“Right, you should talk to a lot of people to help figure things out,” he suggested. “And bonds aren’t just an excuse. I can deal with my curse because I know a lot of people are hoping for me to beat it. Even my Pokemon watch my moods and keep me in line if they must.”

“You have your own pedestal that you can’t get off easily because of who you are,” Serena said.

Calem smiled. “I guess so, but it’s not a nice place to be. Well, you all be sure to keep warm, what with the first frost predictions for this part of Kalos.”

“We’ve got cabins that seem nice and warm so far. I hope your night is peaceful.”

“That’s what I hope for every night now.” Once the few people getting off here were off the platform, he said goodbye to her and boarded the train back for Lumiose. And maybe someday, he could feel safe going back on camping trips with his friends.

* * *

 

Calem felt groggy. Others seemed to be moving around him like shadows. Luckily his mind recalled that night at Parfum Palace, so he was wary. This might be his ancestors clouding his senses and making him think this was a dream. Or was it a dream? Whatever it was, he needed to be careful. Don't do anything rash...

Passing through some tunnels, he came to a large cavern of the mines they'd been in today. They hadn't been in this room, full of many slopes and pathways, even a wooden bridge. He was sure of that because he felt Yveltal's presence strongly. By the lights in here, he could see a blackened part of the rock wall that resembled a cocoon. One might have thought it was just a mineral vein looking at it. On the floor, though, Yveltal had left scorch marks of his name in Unown letters. That was probably the warning he had given the miners who nearly unearthed him.

There were people here. Calem wondered why he was dreaming this, or why he might have been brought here as a shadowy witness to what these four were doing. As he thought it, the scene became clearer: it was Lysandre, with Mable, another Flare scientist, and Serena. Were they here to...? “Don’t awaken him,” Calem said, although his voice escaped him.

They were in front of the cocoon. Serena seemed hesitant, but whatever Lysandre was telling her convinced her to go ahead. Taking the flower clip off her headband again, she took one of the remaining three flowers and held it out to the cocoon. The flower began to glow and held its place in the air even when she let it go. But it didn't explode like the other had. Yveltal stirred, causing a slight tremor in the area in resisting.

“Leave him be,” Calem said, trying to go over and take the flower. But his hand passed right through it as if he was only a ghost.

Serena remained there, looking at the wall behind the flower. Lysandre moved behind her, his words at the brink of hearing for Calem. “He normally only awakens when the power of death and darkness is strong in Kalos. While it pains me to bring anything so painful into our beautiful land, sometimes having the power to reap the sinners is needed to bring about the brightest future. I hoped an object of his counterbalance would be enough, but we may need to bring the power of death to be strong in this place alone.” And with that, he took a dagger and stabbed Serena in the back.

“Serena!” Calem called, trying to get over there. This had to be a dream. At least, he hoped it was only a dream. Otherwise, there was something in him that was certain that attack was intentionally fatal.

Yveltal grew angry and burst out of the wall, his red eyes filled with fury over sacrifice. But instead of being worried about the god, the other scientist turned... and looked right at him. “Someone's interfering,” she said, casting him out.

It hit him painfully in the chest, causing him to wake up and sit up in his bed, in his dorm room. Because of his curse, he had come back early. But they hadn't locked him in tonight. Nearby, Mortan was wide awake too, seeming frantic as he came over. “Something’s happening to Yveltal now!”

“I know,” Calem said, getting out of bed and leaving the room. He didn't even think to grab his shoes or a coat until he got outside and heard a distant cry from Yveltal. But he didn't care about the cold at the moment. Activating his cloak, he used swiftstep to get through the city to the railroad and followed that all the way back to Couriway in a matter of minutes.

He ended up at the cabins where his classmates were spending the night. While he wasn't sure how far the call had carried, those here just outside the mines had heard it. They were awake and confused, some even scared while they had gathered outside. Sycamore must have been up late working, since he still had the day's clothes on. “Hold on, we're not sure what's going on, but we can't panic. Has anyone seen Serena?”

Feeling a touch of alarm, Calem noticed that she was the one student in their homeroom missing, aside from himself since he left early. “They awoke Yveltal,” he said, startling Teirno who was nearest to him.

His other classmates, who hadn't seen him in the cowl before, stared at him for suddenly being there. “Calem, how...?” Sycamore asked, then realized what he must have done. “I see. I'm not sure what all we could do about it.”

“I think they killed Serena,” he said, then warped away to the cavern he had seen in his dream. The tape shutting off the cave was cut through and the room wasn't far past it. Over on the far side of the cavern, there was a huge mess of rocks and dust spread out from a hole punched through the wall. Then that was true, and...

Serena was dead, lying there with one of the miracle flowers left in her hair and petals from another strewn nearby. There was a dagger left in her back. However, no one else was there. Not even Yveltal. It made his heart seem to stop dead for a moment.

Then he was so furious that his vision started to turn red. It had to be true, Lysandre somehow got Serena to go ahead and call on Yveltal only for him to kill her to make sure the god awoke. But his vision only got like this when the Asari were pushing him and this hate was powerful. But was it his own or theirs? Either way, when he heard someone else come into the cavern and call out (maybe his name), he had simultaneous thoughts to kill that person or get out of here so he didn't. The latter won out and he warped back out, barely passing by Professor Sycamore who had come in with another of his classmates that was in Battle Club.

Either things had changed out here or his perception of them had. This had been a nice quiet location before, with abandoned rails and colorful autumn leaves. Now it seemed nightmarish, with shifting shadows and cruel intentions. Calem didn't care to find out if he was still dreaming or not and fled the area. He wasn't even sure where he was going. Just going... find Lysandre and kill him.

This time, he couldn't tell if that was his own thought or not. But it was tempting. After she'd nearly turned around...


	24. Escape From Frost

If this was a nightmare, it seemed there was no awakening from it. Shadowy beings passed him by. He couldn't tell if they were real or not; it became increasingly hard to resist lashing out at them. Despite a persisting cold, ashes fell from the sky. Sometimes it seemed like there was fire in the distance, from the red glows on the horizon. Calem couldn't tell if it was real or not, as his senses were entirely messed up. Even his heightened senses enchantment gave him indecipherable signals aside from some very clear information on how to kill the passing shadows.

Everything appeared either black or gray, except for himself and the sky. The latter was all deep reds and oranges, much like the sky had been when he'd been waiting on the train. That is, when he could think to look at what was around him. Had they missed on something that would have saved Serena instead of keep whatever promise she had made to Lysandre? And she had those miracle flowers, so why didn't they save her? But any time his grief caught up with him, the hatred returned and kept him in anger. His ancestors weren't even talking to him this time, just driving him on as if they knew it was inevitable that he would end up joining them.

Then was this the last he would know before he ceased to be fully himself? It was a cold fear that the hatred kept trying to eradicate, although both were cause for painful thoughts. Who were those shadows? Strangers or friends? He couldn’t tell the difference now, maybe he never would again. They were just possible victims, but he would know the one he hated most now… this was a terrible loneliness in this shadow world… he didn’t have to be alone and he knew what would fix that but that would damn him to never escaping his family’s fate.

Although the shadows didn’t seem to notice him, one finally did. It was speaking to him through an unknown language. Who was that? Pulled equally by hatred and fear, he nearly fled but then a different curse hit him. It was one he'd felt before, one to stop teleporting from working. Furious, he tried to punch the shadow, but it turned out to be a better fighter. It knocked him away several feet into some kind of stone, dazing him for a moment. Then he was clasped by a strong inhuman grip, unable to move; the shadow cast another spell on him.

This one started to clear up his vision. The sky seemed red and the distance was black. But up close, he found himself in the earthy blue arm of a Golurk. Underneath his feet, there was a patch of pale grass coated in silver-white frost. It wasn't ashes, but snowflakes falling around him. At the edges of his clear vision, he saw gravestones. And closer still, there was a giant with ragged clothes and long white hair. “AZ?” he asked, confused.

“Keep calm,” he said gently. “I'm glad that worked, but you'll need to pull yourself through the rest of the way.”

On realizing what actually happened, he felt horrified. “What, I attacked you? I'm sorry, I didn't realize it was you! I...”

AZ put a hand on his head. “Calm yourself. And don't worry about it. It's for the best that you ended up attacking me rather than anyone else, since I’ve dealt with your kin before. You don't even have a weapon, so there isn't a lot you could do to me. Although, that was very close.”

“Huh?” He pointed to the left, so Calem tilted his head and saw a taller memorial in the shape of an obelisk. At shoulder height, there was a dagger stuck right up to the hilt into the stone. He looked away from it, willing himself not to be tempted to pull it out. “Oh... I wasn't sure where I was going, so they must have led me here. What are you doing? Weren't you going to stay in the forest?”

After checking on him, AZ nodded. “Yveltal awoke and vanished nearly immediately. I'm not sure what happened, but I felt as if he was very angry about it. Since those Flare people keep looking for me, I wasn’t going to investigate right off. But then my Pokemon got agitated beyond just Yveltal's awakening.” He gestured to where the Sigilyph was hovering nearby; the Torkoal was even creeping up to them. Calem looked to the two other Pokemon, trying to focus in on them and clear up his vision; the Golurk wasn’t going to let him go yet. “They told me that you were in trouble and I left to find you. Only, you're not easy to track down. I came to find this dagger instead to locate you through it, and here you were. But your mind is clouded by your ancestors, warping your perception of reality.”

That worried him, but when Calem looked at his arms and down his pajama shirt, he didn't see any of the black marks on his skin (although it was tinged slightly blue, which he wasn’t sure was real). He must not have killed anyone, yet it had been a close call. “I’m not sure what's been going on. When did Yveltal wake up? That's the last thing I clearly remember, hearing him.” Since it was, it meant what happened between the dream and the delusion, and even the dream, was real.

“Last night, so nearly a full day ago,” AZ said. “What do you remember?”

He tightened his grip on the Golurk’s arm; it was reassuring, since the Pokemon wanted to make sure he was safe. “I had a dream where I saw my friend Serena in front of Yveltal's cocoon. My other friends and I had nearly talked her out of working with Plasma, but in my dream, I saw her there with a few of them, including their leader Lysandre. Earlier, she'd said that she had been at Xerneas' awakening, and received some miracle flowers from him. But she didn't know what happened to him after they parted. In my dream, she used one of the flowers to try awakening Yveltal. It didn't entirely work, so Lysandre killed her. They sensed me then and I woke up, then ran all the way over to where the dream had taken place. And, Yveltal was gone with Serena dead exactly as I had seen her. I got so angry about it. We nearly had her listening to us but it was too late and now she's dead. I know Lysandre did it; I hate him...”

“Don't let that hatred overtake your heart,” AZ said. “It will only end up spreading more grief and suffering. Besides, even if you hate him, is taking vengeance on him worth an eternity of torment and enslavement at the hands of your hateful ancestors?”

Part of his frustration didn't want him to listen to AZ any more. But if anyone could really understand the weight of those consequences, it was AZ. “No,” he said, then sobbed. Admitting that made him feel helpless. He had powers beyond normal people, but if he couldn't use them without completely ruining himself, it was better if he didn't have them at all. Then he noticed how frigid his tear felt on his cheek, nearly freezing there. There wasn't much snow on the ground, but there was ice on the graves and trees. While his senses were almost normal again, it just let him know that he barely felt his extremities and everything else... “It's too cold.”

“I'll get you back into town, where someone can heal you better,” AZ said, gripping his shoulder. Once the Golurk let him go, the giant picked him up easily and brought him out of the graveyard. Calem closed his eyes and didn't notice much else until hours later.

* * *

_I had been out of it at the time, but you should hear what happened not long after AZ brought me into Anistar._

Calem had gone off so fast last night that not even Swift was able to keep up with him. Trying to figure out where he was, Mortan went back and forth between the normal realm of reality and the realm of spirits, attempting to use their bonds of friendship to locate him. He'd left their Pokeballs and the miracle flower in his dorm room, so there really wasn't any other way.

Finally, in the early evening, he picked up Calem's aura in a distant town. Swift could not manage the swiftstep technique without Calem, so Mortan brought the other five over to the realm of spirits in order to cross the distance faster. They arrived outside of a hospital in Anistar; the building had some aura interference that made it easier to emerge in the parking lot. As the door to the emergency room was automated, they were able to get in easily. It shouldn't be hard to find him from here, especially with the ghosts who could peek into rooms from the walls.

And then someone stopped Mortan on the spot. AZ, he was here? And the three Pokemon who were hanging around him these days; he'd spoken with them on occasion when Calem was visiting AZ. Still, how was he allowed here in sight of them, with nothing trying to pull him away? Was it because of the two gods being missing? Or, had the oath keeping them apart been broken? Mortan went over to him, not sure if this was real. “AZ?”

He looked over, equally in shock. There was nothing keeping them apart now, so the oath must have been broken. “Luken,” he said softly, holding his hand out.

Mortan went over and hugged his thumb. “Ah, I've missed you! What are you doing here?”

“Is it because of Calem?” Swift asked, although she wouldn't be understood.

She was still right. “I brought Calem here,” AZ said. “You all must have come looking for him. I think he'll be okay, but I’m not sure how healers are these days.”

“Uh, sir?” a man said, coming out of the room nearby. He glanced around the Pokemon there, as if expecting someone else to be there.

“These are the boy's Pokemon,” AZ explained to deflect that curiosity. “They’re devoted to him, so they must have come as soon as they could.”

He nodded. “I see. You all can stay with Calem, but behave yourselves and don't mess with the machines in his room.”

“If they're helping him, then I won't mess with them at all,” Yorick said. Mortan felt sure that the ghost would keep his word.

The nurse then turned back to AZ. “He has hypothermia and frostbite, so he'll need to be here for a few days while we make sure he can recover. You brought him in at a good time. Do you know his family so we can contact them?”

“I know one of his teachers at school is Professor Sycamore,” AZ said after a moment of thought. “I'll contact him so they know where he is.”

“All right, then he's a student of LMA? We'll keep that in mind.”

“Oh, and there's something you should know,” AZ said. “When I found him, he was being troubled by some hateful spirits. There's supposed to be a woman in this town who can deal with them.”

“Olympia,” Mortan said quietly, having hurried up by his old friend's ear.

“I think her name is Olympia,” he said. “You should contact her and ask that protective barriers be put up near him so the spirits from the graveyard don't interfere.”

The nurse nodded. “All right. The hospital has some shields for that, but she should come over if we ask for a patient. Excuse me.” He hurried on down the hall.

“I haven't seen the teacher, but I think I could find one of his other friends,” AZ said. He looked down at Mortan. “Do you want to stay here with him or come with me? I've missed you too, but I understand if you want to watch over him. I'd stick around myself, but this place isn't built for those like me.” His head was up against the ceiling even though he was slouched some to fit.

Mortan was torn by this. It was a relief to be back with AZ, but Calem was also his friend and leaving him didn't feel right either. But then Percival spoke up. “You should go with him. We'll keep an eye on Calem. Besides, Yveltal said you should watch out for if the Asari spirits overtook him. We'll do that for you, and find you if it's needed.”

“Yeah, I think he would understand since you two have been apart for so long,” Starlet said. The others agreed.

“Thank so much; you're all great friends too,” Mortan said, bowing to them. Then he turned to AZ. “They said they'd keep watch over him, so I can go with you. I know how to find the professor as long as he's in Lumiose.”

It was a most terrible day, and a most wonderful day, one he'd never forget.

* * *

_Letters aren't as popular as they once were, but I've received many that are important to me. There was the collection that was in the cowl's box, for one. Then there's these letters I received while I was in the Anistar hospital. One was from my parents, in my mother's small looped handwriting._

'Dear Calem:

This past year has been rough, what with being separated from you and all. There's been many times when your father and I have wished we could go meet up with you, maybe in a place where the native magic is strong enough for it to be safe. But it seems like there might be nowhere truly safe we could meet, especially not after you told us of the catacombs that were underneath the school. I hope we will be able to meet face to face again without being afraid.

We did take a chance to visit you in the hospital as soon as we heard about you being there. You didn't seem awake, which is both fortunate and heart-breaking that it's the only way we've been close to you recently. As soon as we heard that you had a severe case of hypothermia, neither of us could stop worrying so we caught a train up to Anistar. It was a relief to hear that you didn't have any of the curse markings, but still, we feel terrible that you got hurt like that because of them. I left some of my favorite coffee with you, so you could have something warm to drink.

Your Pokemon were very sweet to us while we were there. They remember who we are and even tried to cheer us up at the time. From that, I can imagine that you're treating them well; that makes us proud that you've gotten the adoration of such Pokemon. Percival didn't do much, but the nurse told us that they seem to be keeping guard over you in turns, so I think he was focused on that. We didn't see Mortan while we were there, but he might have been resting in another room. Eventually, Shaun said that we should go, at least him because he felt like the shields around your room were being strained. I couldn't hug you as you were, but I did try to brush your hair smooth.

We heard about what happened from Professor Sycamore. It's hard to lose a friend like that, especially a girl who had such potential in her. But please remember, you shouldn't lose sight of your morals and fight against those who harmed her in anger. We're certainly not the only ones who want to see you beat this curse; maybe Serena does too. Don't forget that you're not alone, even in grief. Call us to talk if you need to, no matter how long you need.

We hope you recover well. We love you, Calem, and we're always thinking of you. We can't wait until we can meet again, without troubles.

Sincerely, Mom and Dad.'

_Then this one from my three friends. Much of it is in Shauna's cute handwriting with little stars over some letters, but Tierno and Trevor wrote bits of it too._

(S) 'Hey Calem! We heard that you got yourself into a seriously cool situation. Look, we all know that you're the most chill guy at the school, but you don't have to go proving it to the point of turning into a popsicle. You have the most cool and want to see you back because the school's turned the heaters on way too high and now it's stifling in homeroom. Seriously, if we start to want ice cream during school in this November cold snap, then they've got to turn down that heater a few degrees. Or get the cool person back in class!'

(Tr) 'Sorry about that, Calem, Shauna said she was going to write a letter to cheer you up, but we didn't realize she'd go that far with the puns. Although I think she's trying to cheer herself up too because she's been extreme about it the past couple of days. We didn’t see the scene, but it's shocking to know what happened.'

(S) 'Aw come on, we could all use a good laugh. Although it is awful what happened. We're going to be back in homeroom tomorrow (today was called off) and it's going to be so weird with her not at her desk. Or you for that matter, but we know you'll be back. She can't come back. It's terrible and I wish we could have done something for her.'

(Te) 'I did take the miracle flower she gave me and gave it to her father. I'm sure she meant to do that. And it did work to break him from the coma. He's still recovering too, although I feel a little bad because I woke him up to find out that Serena is gone. But like I wrote, I’m sure that's what she wanted once she realized we were telling the truth. I just wish she took us seriously sooner so that didn't have to happen.'

(S) 'I know. But we can't lose hope because she's gone. I miss her a lot already, but I hope that things work out right and the ones who hurt her get punished for it. Anyhow, you get better soon. Lots of people around here have been asking us about you, cause they're not sure what happened and are worried about you too. They've been asking too about how you showed up when we know you went back to school, but we've said they have to wait until you say it's okay to share. We hope you'll be back soon!

Love, Shauna, Tierno, and Trevor.'

_I did get a lot like that, including some from Professor Sycamore and Korrina. There were a lot of cards too, like from other students or Diantha. And even from Olympia. I didn't get to meet her in person at the time, but she left me a long note in elegant handwriting on her get well card._

'To Calem: It's unfortunate to find another youth whose been tormented by souls that should had departed long ago. Even so, I find in your aura the wishes of many others for your well-being, even from some departed souls. Your path may seem dark now, but there are many lights reaching out to guide you. Don't be afraid to let them close to help you.

The ones who haunt you are familiar to me; I’ve felt their overbearing hate before. But I believe that hate will undermine itself while love will support itself. The hate can't overtake you unless you allow it to do so. Keep the lights of your bonds close and you may not even hear them. On my part, I’ve done what I can to reinforce the shields around you while you heal. I ask nothing for it, as it was my responsibility to keep those wandering spirits restrained.

About those spirits, the one I’ve dealt with the most seems to be chained by malice more than consumed by it. He puzzled me at first because at times he's nearly cooperative with the efforts of myself, and my master when she still had this duty. I see light even in him from time to time. Perhaps it may be more fruitful to free him than keep him restrained, although I don't know enough to do so.

As it is, I hope I’ve made your stay here a little more peaceful.

From Olympia'

_After I awoke, Mortan visited me a couple times, bringing a letter from AZ with him once. It's on an unlined sheet of paper and looks large, but if you consider that he's twice the size of anyone else and would have trouble using a pencil from it, it's actually quite restrained and straight._

'Dear Calem,

I am sorry to have taken Luken from you at this time, but at the same time thankful because you did inadvertently bring us back together. The words that kept us apart were broken without any sign, which gave us some worry that it's because Yveltal and Xerneas are in trouble. But then, I believe some other god must have been enforcing it and let us come back together now. I left the safety of the woods because you were in trouble and I wanted to help, not even thinking of Luken at the time. Even if I knew you probably didn't have a weapon, you're still adept with magic, making it dangerous to face you in a state like that. But again, rather it be me than another. Helping a friend not make a mistake similar to my own seems to have been enough with the years I spent alone.

We're not sure what's going to happen to us now. We both expected time to catch back up to us when we were reunited, but nothing of the sort has occurred. In a way, it's good that we're still here. The key must be protected and it would have ended up in the hospital if the expected happened, with you not alert enough to make sure it was kept out of the wrong hands. They're still looking for me, but I’m back in the woods now. Although I fear its safety won't last much longer, as the enchantments are growing weaker in being blocked off from Xerneas' power. We want to do something about the gods being captive, but I can't freely move around Kalos as I used to. When the coast seems clear, I plan on visiting Zygarde and seeing if it can help.

Luken says that he wants to travel between us when you're better, as he can use the realm of spirits to reach us unnoticed. I'm fine with that, since you may still need his help. Besides, with my current Pokemon friends, and you and the other kids that have reached out to me, I feel more blessed by friendship than I've ever been.

Sincerely, AZ'

_Most unexpectedly, I got a letter from Richard too. His handwriting was shaky and a little hard to decipher at points, but given he was also recovering in a hospital, it would be surprising if it wasn't._

'Dear Calem,

I'm sorry I couldn't do anything more to stop her. I didn't even find her in Winding Woods, but I know she was there as a friend of mine recognized her going in with other members of Team Flare. In the last few years, she has been getting passionate about their environmentalism, pressing me often to make the Chateau more eco-friendly. But we didn't think she'd jump right in to join them as soon as she could, when their views are growing more extreme. She has been saving money for a while, but I always thought it was to support expenses on pricier forms of Pokemon training.

Since I've crossed Lysandre and I know he can spin facts in his favor, I’m letting you and a number of people know what happened to me then. The more people that know the truth of this situation, the better. I made plans to go to Snowbelle as soon as I had a few hours free and I happened to arrive as many were in Winding Woods itself. Once I heard Serena was in there too, I went in as I knew how to navigate the place. There were a pair of Flare members that had been posted at the entrance to keep other people out that day.

However, they also knew me as the former League Champion. The position has been called a modern day royalty, not in real power but in that the people of Kalos give a Champion respect due to royalty. It allows me to get into a lot of places that would otherwise turn most people away and that day was no exception. While it took some discussion and a Pokemon battle to show that I wasn't going to take no for an answer, they let me in.

There were many Flare members in that place, posted strategically on paths and in openings so that it was near impossible to pass through the woods without running into them. Most of them only had a single Pokemon so they had no luck in resisting my being there. I did notice that they had an abundance of Poison and Steel Pokemon. If a Fairy Pokemon had been trying to make its way through the paths, it would have a difficult time getting anywhere, maybe even a very powerful one. There were enough people in the woods that day to stress the path twisting enchantments too, so it wasn't as chaotic as usual.

I believe that's why I ran across Xerneas in trouble. The Winding Woods are supposed to be under his control, but as I wrote earlier, this incursion was strategic against him. It was enough of a shock for me to run into one of our gods, but then he pleaded for my assistance in getting to the edge of the forest. After using a Hyper Potion to heal his wounds, I agreed and let him lead through what he thought the shortest way out was. My Pokemon fought the battles for him in most cases, although there were a few where he cooperated with my lead. It's surprising, after hearing stories and legends of how he plays tricks on humans for the fun of it. He didn't find it as fun to find the tables turned on him.

Then we ran into Lysandre and I asked him what he was doing with my daughter and Xerneas. He didn't even bother with his usual genial demeanor, instead telling me that I shouldn't interfere with his grand vision. As he put it, the world is filled with too many people, too many of which he saw as ugly filth not worthy of being alive. He wants to wipe the world clean and start everything fresh with the goal of keeping it as beautiful and pure as possible. I've heard that he may now have Yveltal as well. Yet, I don't believe that's enough for what he desires, even though he could possibly manipulate their powers to create a disaster right now.

And it seems that Serena is a part of his plans, since he believed that due to her heritage and innate talents, she was best suited to awaken the gods. I ended up battling him, thinking that Xerneas might be able to bolt out of the forest if I distracted Lysandre. Maybe even contact Serena and make her see the danger Lysandre was. However, the first thing he did was order his Gyarados to strike me.

I don't know what happened after that. I no longer have the Pokemon that were with me at the time. According to Grace, Serena's Pokemon are missing too. I don't know what I'm going to do now. Someone needs to stop Lysandre, but if I couldn't do so back then, I don't know if I could even if I trained up a new set of Pokemon. Sometimes I think of asking Diantha to do something. Not that she's a bad Champion, but I’m not sure she's up to it either. Her life seems like a brilliant whirlwind and she always seems to be involved in one thing or another. I'd hate to see her fall too because I asked her to do what I couldn't.

Calem, don't get involved with Team Flare. It's too dangerous for a young man like you. While he's been promising his followers that they'll be safe with him, if he'll sacrifice someone he saw as important for his goals, I don't think anyone is safe around him.

Take care, Richard'

_All these people wanted me to get better and not put myself in danger. Or, more danger than I was in already. But it was in those letters that I started making a plan. I wasn't ready to put it into action right away, since I still needed time to get well after my brush with hypothermia. I just knew that I wouldn't be satisfied just keeping quiet and good with all this turmoil going on around me._

* * *

_Also, I didn't see these until several weeks later when I was back in school, but Serena had a journal that her parents let us keep since we were her closest friends outside of Flare. They knew that because, well, remember that picture we took of all five of us at the beach? That was in her locket necklace when they opened it. We wouldn't want to share the whole thing at this time; it's still rather soon and emotions over all this haven't entirely settled down. But these few might help you understand her a bit better without revealing too much._

Well the party wasn't nearly as dull as I thought it would be. At first it was. I'm usually up for dressing up nicely and being in the spotlight, but sheesh, I don't know if anyone invited there really cared about my sixteenth birthday. Come on, people, this is supposed to be special and you all seem to be there just for appearances. I bet most of them didn't even care for me and would have stolen the spotlight if they could.

I guess my parents cared, but you know them. They latch onto the idea of family but they're both so wrapped up in their own lives that we hardly are a family. Sure, you both showed up to my sixteenth, but that doesn't excuse the fact that one of you always seemed to be missing from the rest. And both of you on my tenth birthday! I still won't forgive them for that. I was all excited about it too, since they talked about taking me and some friends (who don't even talk to me anymore, sheesh) out to an amusement park for a day of fun. But then they both changed their plans so that on my birthday, I was left with the servants in the Battle Chateau and none of my friends came over because they only heard that the park trip was canceled. It doesn't matter that we went later, they missed the actual date because they were too busy putting their lives before mine.

They didn't even have that great of a showing at this party either. I straight out told them at several points that what I wanted was a Pokedex. That would be the most useful thing to me right now, having an electronic database chock full of information and observations on many different Pokemon. With that, I can better plan for upcoming battles and tailor my team even more to be able to handle anything that comes our way. But no, they got me nothing like that. I didn't get anything remotely like that. Instead, they got me some silly locket that I have no idea what to do with and a few other items of minor use. It's times like this that make me wonder if they really get me.

I did get a pretty nice present from Lysandre. He even said that he wanted to ask a big favor of me. While he didn't tell me what it was, it's pretty clear that he has good hopes in me and might even be depending on me too. He also said that it would be nice if we could stop time right then, so I could keep my youthful beauty in a just and good world. That was really sweet, even if he is old. Definitely need to help him out later on with whatever he's got.

But the highlight of the party, and when things turned around, was when my friends from school showed up in costume for a musical number they put together for me. Hah, that easily topped their Fletchling performance a few years back. They had all sorts of Pokemon in the chorus and it was a sound that I doubt anything else could replicate. Conversation with them was a lot more lively and entertaining; I dunno what it is about them, because they seem to do that without thinking about it.

Oh, and their costumes were all funny, being sparkly animal clowns. I'm going to have to save those photos in an album so they don't get lost. Especially Calem! He was kind of adorable because he was trying to keep his cool guy attitude when he was all dolled up like a sparkly bunny. It was hard to take him seriously even if he was being his normal self. Apparently they let Shauna pick the costumes alone, first rate mistake there. If Calem doesn't watch it, that girl's going to have him wrapped around her little finger in a few years. Maybe I’ll put on the big sister act and give her some advice on how to do that.

Now I’ve ended up agreeing to join them on a summer trek around Kalos. I suppose I should try to make the most of it so it isn't a complete waste of time. They're planning on going to the Cyllage area soon, so it shouldn't be much trouble to sneak over to Grant's gym while they're distracted with other stuff. However, I think my father's up to something. He must not want me to catch up and surpass him, being that he suggested that I go with them instead of focusing on my goal.

One of these days, people are going to say that he's my father as though I'm the more admirable one instead of the other way around. Same way with my mother. I swore that I’d do things they never have and excel at that. And at things they've done too so that people respect me for being me, not their daughter.

...

We ended up running around like idiots in the rain and mud today and somehow that was the most fun I’ve had in a long time instead of the most embarrassing thing. It accomplished nothing but getting everyone in need of showers and lots of laundry work. Yet it seems worth it. I should be the more respectable one around as the oldest, but, I wouldn't replace those four with anyone.

But thank the heavens they agreed to come back into Lumiose for coffee and cake once we cleaned up. It might be unhealthy but it was really good after today.

…

Lysandre and Aliana met with me in Parfum Palace's library this evening. I guess Owain must like his nephew, since they seem to be able to come and go freely here, borrowing what books and such they need without a word. Of course, it seems like you could get on Owain's good side just by indulging and complimenting his spoiled Furfrous. He's such a fool compared to his contemporaries like the master of Shabbanaeu Manor.

Anyhow, Lysandre finally told me his plans tonight. It's really impressive. Apparently they've been able to monitor the mysterious god Zygarde, the one who appears so infrequently that people often forget about him being in Kalos as well. The dragon god has been stirring lately as he's unhappy with the rapid advancement of technology at the expense of nature in the world. If he awakens, then the most likely event will be him annihilating three-quarters of the population and leveling any city over a certain size. That isn't just in Kalos, though. Zygarde's murmurs tell of worldwide devastation in order to set the world to how he thinks things should be. He doesn't care who dies as his focus is not on individuals but the whole planet.

No one can deny the disaster that would be, but Team Flare has been planning and preparing for this for many years. Lysandre believes that if humans and Pokemon work to correct the growing imbalance in time, then Zygarde can be appeased and won't put his judgment to the world. It does require some drastic actions and sacrifices; there may still be a death toll in this effort. But it's necessary, as the alternatives are far worse. Also, he knows that a great many people won't be happy with their methods, but those are idiots who prefer to keep their ignorance rather than opening their eyes to what lies beyond their small homes. Flare might be seen as terrorists or even as a force of evil, but it is necessary and is based on good ideals and truth. Lysandre's willing to take that bad image for the sake of the best world possible.

And he does seem to need me for this. One of the things he wants to do is awaken Xerneas and Yveltal, to awaken more people to the seriousness of our situation. Not just anyone can awaken a god, though, so he's spent a decade searching for one or two who can reach them. He says he considered and researched many people, but I'm the one in all that time who has the best chance at awakening both. According to their data, I shouldn't have a problem with Xerneas, while Yveltal might be difficult to reach. He mentioned that someone else did stand a better chance at reaching Yveltal than myself, but he didn't think that person's chances were good with Xerneas while mine were reasonably good with Yveltal if I got the other god's blessings.

I'm not sure about being seen as a villain for trying to save the world. But Lysandre did so without hesitation. As long as he's in charge, I’m sure we can appease Zygarde properly.

…

Argh, Calem I hate you! Why'd you have to argue with me like that in front of everyone? And say stuff like you couldn't respect me. I wasn't doing anything different than before, so why is it a problem now and not before? Yeah, I didn't tell Shauna about moving. I know she would have been whiny and clingy, making it harder to move out when I need to be away from campus outside of school hours to do what Lysandre's expecting of me. It was easier on both of us if I just didn't say anything. I even told her that I had important things to be working on, but she had to ask why our friendship wasn't that important. It's the fate of the world over two peoples' feelings, so of course this is more important.

I had thought Calem was a reasonable person, but he's bought into that mystical nonsense that Korrina was going on about. The bonds between people or Pokemon isn't some physical thing that has a real effect; it's all in the irrational mind of the individual. And yes, emotions do play a part in using magic, but emotions are easy. Everybody has emotions every moment of the day and it doesn't matter what they are since it's all the same in the end. They can even be bypassed with sufficient willpower or intelligence. He was even taking the side of that weird Lucario that keeps stalking me; creepy thing, you already evolved with someone else so stick with her. Apparently the Lucario has visions of the future and thinks I’m going to die in the next few years. That's utter nonsense. Predictions like that only work when you take them seriously and convince yourself that you will die.

What happened in the past year that changed all of you? Last summer was a lot of fun and I get that you're my friends, so why are you treating me like an outcast now?

…

I wish I could go back in time; these days are so dismal. I knew siding with Flare would be unpopular at first even if it is the responsible choice. But everyone at school seems to be avoiding me; many who used to try so hard to be near me won't even look at me now. I'm doing what I think is right, so why can't you all see it? Not even the teachers pay as much attention to me.

And somehow Calem's gotten popular, even though I think he hasn't really noticed. He's the same as ever, just being the apprentice at the Tower of Mastery too. Many students are looking up to him now. He only has one proof of magic, for goodness sakes. Any student at our level should be able to snatch that up easy no matter where they choose. Even though he got it early on, he doesn't show any ambition to go further What is he even doing at LMA when he seems like he's not sure where he's going with the education? Oh wait, he was an accidental addition because he happened to run into me on the testing day. He probably wouldn't even be here if I hadn't met him, but now he says he won't even respect me. That jerk.

At least I can rely on Lysandre; he still thinks I’m important.

…

Yesterday's entry looks like an overeager kid wrote it. Well I was really excited, since I got to awaken Xerneas and received his blessing in the form of these miracle flowers. I used an escape rope to get out, because I managed to get through to the center on my own, on foot; forget getting back out of that twisted place on foot too. But it seems like I missed something, or maybe I overheard something today that I shouldn’t have.

I was working in Lysandre's cafe as a waitress when I overheard one of the guys ask where they were keeping Xerneas, and someone else hushed him by saying 'not in front of the princess'. I'm sure that Lysandre's plan was to let Xerneas go about free and do his own thing to convince people to shape up. But, did they capture him instead? That's not what Lysandre told me, but I'm not sure anymore if he told me everything. I also heard that they've been tapping into holocaster calls. The reason made sense, they said they were keeping track of some psycho killer to keep him in check and researching some method from the war to control him. That doesn't really sound right, or like Lysandre at all. Maybe it's just some overeager novices who are making guesses at what we could do to change the world when it's known we'll be taking drastic measures.

But if it is true, I’m not sure who I could trust anymore if I can't trust Lysandre. I mean, there's even rumors that my dad's in the hospital for some reason. But I’m sure they could find me if they really wanted to. It's not like I'm hiding completely out of sight, so they must be ignoring me like usual. Although I kind of wish my dad would show up and try to drag me back to their home, just so I was sure of things.

…

Today has been crazy, in more ways than one. We were supposed to do a simple task of mining some stones, looking for those Pokemon specific minerals to subject them to various experiments. With how uncommon they are, it seems a waste to use them in a manner that might destroy them. Then again, their effects are so weak that without a mega ring they're more valuable for aesthetics. It’s not like we're cracking diamonds to figure out what they are.

A simple task, but once I got in the tunnels, I was struck by cold feelings that I couldn't quite understand. It seems so ominous, like being led to a guillotine or something. I hated it; it made me feel so lonely and afraid and I don't understand how just being in a mine can do that. It's not like I’m scared of the dark or enclosed spaces or anything. Maybe some spirit in the mine was messing with me.

And only me; that was embarrassing when I realized that the others all seemed eager for the project or not looking forward to spending the day digging in rocks to find other rocks. Not a bit of fear or the like in any of them. So I went off on my own; I didn't want any of them to catch me like that. But who should come looking for me but Calem, Shauna, Tierno, and Trevor? Why did they all have to come, I was thinking. They only needed to send one person.

It turned out all right though. They said that they were worried about me more than anything. And I’m pretty sure they were all honest about it. It’s weird, since they were the last ones I was expecting sympathy out of after what happened on the first day of school this year. They really are my friends after all. I tried to warn them about the trouble coming, although I have to be careful. Lysandre says not to let outsiders know certain things yet or they're persecute us before we can do what's necessary. But they don't trust him. Apparently he's treated Calem badly somehow. I'll have to ask him about it tonight. I mean, I can't think of why they'd think that when Lysandre sponsored Calem in paying off his tuition. There was even something about my bonds with others weakening except the one that would kill me. Do they really think Lysandre would kill me? I'm important to him and his plans, so he wouldn't harm me one bit.

But then I learned something else new later on. Lysandre told me that he and a couple of the scientists would meet me in town, so I thought they'd arrive at the train station. They didn't, but I found Calem there leaving for Lumiose City when the rest of us were staying to camp here overnight. Apparently he has some family curse that's trying to make him into a killer and monster, and he has to stay at certain locations when he sleeps or there will be trouble. Maybe that vision meant him?

But I feel like he wouldn't kill me either. He obviously doesn't want to kill anyone, so he takes all these precautions. I heard from Shauna later that he even allows his Pokemon to attack him if they think he's a danger. I can't imagine any sane person doing that, but then again, this doesn't seem like a sane problem. Not only that, but he stayed so confident and calm about it, like he normally is, even though he was talking of curses and being turned into some forsaken monster because of his ancestors’ hate. How can he do that? It sounds like he even has to be careful in his thoughts; I’d be terrified of myself if I was in a situation like that. But then he's apparently been dealing with this for a while and he stays like a normal guy most of the time.

I couldn't even see a hint of that darkness in him when he was talking about it. Maybe I underestimated him; he's got to be a whole lot braver than anyone else I know to be like that.

_There was a lot we didn't understand about each other. Maybe if we did, things would have turned out differently._


	25. The Dagger's Release

_Oh right… when I was in the Anistar hospital, I had a dream. Probably many dreams because they kept me asleep to help me heal, but this is the one I remember._

“Why do you keep fighting your fate?”

He was back in the strange dark landscape with ashy raindrops falling from the sky. While he’d been trying to get out of it again, he stopped on being spoken to by the eldest Asari. Even in the dream, he was unmistakable. The other Asari Calem had met all looked very similar: unfinished faces, clawing black marks across their skin, true appearance hidden by the ragged cloak. But this ancient patriarch was different. His hands were thin and long, with sharp dirty nails and a mix of dark and light skin that made it hard to tell what the base color was. More tellingly, his face actually looked like it had been ripped off his head, with raw red marks across it.

“I won’t accept it as my fate,” Calem told him.

“You don’t get a choice in this, not with how far you’ve come with our powers,” he said in disdain.

“You might believe that, but I don’t.”

“It’s not a matter of belief.” He reappeared on Calem’s other side, but he was used to that from Heinrich. “Don’t you get it? The thrill of moving like a shadow in the world, building your target’s fear, then striking at the height of their fear? Once you know that, nothing else can compare.”

“I’d rather not have that thrill,” he said, turning his attention to finding a way out of this place.

“You would never feel helpless again as one of us.”

“I’d rather feel helpless than be your descendant,” Calem said. And he meant it. “But since I can’t change that, I just won’t use our powers like you do.”

Then the dream landscape changed, to the cave where Serena had died. The eldest Asari smiled, looking particular devilish now. “You could make those who would hurt you suffer greatly.”

That did make him angry, but more at his ancestor. “You made me watch her die, didn’t you?”

Laughing, he warped a short distance ahead. “Of course I did. Our power is death. You should see the death of any person you hold a bond with, no matter what. It makes it quicker to take vengeance on such fools.”

He’d see the death of any he had a bond with; that was horrifying. And yet still not enough to convince Calem. “I am not killing anyone.”

The eldest Asari frowned at him. “At the very least, you should kill that Lysandre. His intentions seem to include killing nearly everyone.”

“And you have a problem with that?” Calem asked.

“Of course I do. If the entire world dies out, there won’t be anyone left to hunt down and kill.”

Calem shook his head. “I won’t kill him. Yes I hate him and I want to stop him, but I’m not going to fall into your hands and kill him.”

“What you wish to accomplish is impossible. You will never be able to do that successfully.”

* * *

Calem had lost one of his fingers on his left hand to the frostbite, but had been lucky that the doctors could prevent him from losing any more. His arms, hands, and feet were bound in bandages to protect his healing skin. Despite that, he was allowed back to school as long as he didn’t stay on his feet for long. His fingers felt stiff in the bandages, so hopefully the teachers would work with him on getting homework done in other ways. Still, the fact was that this had turned out a lot better than it could have.

Coming into his homeroom class, he noticed that everyone else was already there. Except Serena, of course. Was he late? He was pretty sure he had left his dorm with plenty of time. Then he noticed that they were finishing up decorating the room. “Welcome back, Calem!” Professor Sycamore said with a large smile. “Though you caught us finishing up the party for your return, we’re happy to have you back.”

A party for his return? Feeling embarrassed, he said, “What? You didn’t have to do that.”

“Aw, but we wanted to!” Shauna said, coming over and hugging him. His other classmates cheered and also welcomed him back warmly, so he smiled and accepted it.

But it felt strange to be back here. The classroom was familiar as always, with the people he’d seen nearly every day for the past five years around him. Except Serena… that just reminded him of seeing her murdered, running through the blazing nightmare, waking up to grief and being painfully cold, reading through his parents’ letter full of heartache (it had made him cry the first time he read it). But this was the same old classroom with his friends and favorite teacher there, so different from what had happened. It hadn’t changed, but he had. Still, he tried to smile for their effort at throwing together a party to welcome him back and not get too caught up in all those thoughts.

Eventually though, it came up that most of them didn’t know how he’d gone from Lumiose to Couriway and eventually ended up in the Anistar hospital the next day. “I felt Yveltal awakened and was so alarmed at it that I ran out of my room with just my cowl and pajamas,” he admitted.

“Yeah, some of us were like that but then we went back in our cabins for coats and boots,” Tierno said.

Calem shrugged. “Well there was also that dream… oh, most of you don’t know, but all these unusual powers I have are from my family being cursed to turn into monsters if we kill people.”

“Isn’t anyone who kills people a monster?”

He shook his head. “Maybe, but I mean a real monster, with no face and demonic markings. But Sycamore’s been helping me find ways to beat it already, so I’m working on that.”

“You’ve got a long road ahead of you, but I’m sure you can beat the curse,” Sycamore said. He was confident.

Calem was trying to be, but he worried that this experience wouldn’t be the last to test his restraint.

* * *

_At this point, I had two major enemies: Lysandre and the eldest Asari. Their plans were not entirely clear to me, but they both affected me greatly. I had an idea of what might settle things, but I couldn't put it into motion until early spring of my fifth school year, when I and the rest of the school had settled down after Serena's murder._

The mega ring on Calem's wrist shone a bit brighter, then died off as Yorick returned back to his normal self as a Gengar. “I think that's enough for today,” Calem said to the other members of Battle Club. “It does get to be a strain on both partners after long enough.”

“That was like fighting a totally different Pokemon,” his opponent said.

Korrina, who was visiting the academy today and had sparked this demonstration in club, nodded. “Yeah, some changes are subtle and some are incredible. And now that we get reports from all over the world of similar stones with sparks of life energy, the biggest limitation is how few rings we have as no one's been able to replicate them yet. But who knows? That might even change and then more people will need to learn how important it is to acknowledge your Pokemon and treat them as equals.”

“So how do you get a bond strong enough to do this with?” one of the sixth year students asked Calem. Specifically him, which still surprised Calem with how they respected him now. Before, they just knew to be wary in certain conditions, but lately the club's student leader had been trying to talk him into taking over when she graduated in a few months. He didn't think of himself as a leader.

But being a good example, he would do that if it made them respect their Pokemon more. “I think you just treat them like you would any friend and it will naturally develop. Sure, it's not easy to understand them, but if you make the effort, you'll find ways to understand.” He had a major help in this with Mortan. But now that the Floette was spending a lot more time with AZ instead, Calem had easily adjusted to figuring out his Pokemon without the translation assistance.

As club was brought to a close, Calem stayed in one of the battle rooms to talk with Korrina. “There’s something that I’ve wanted to ask you about.”

“Sure, what's on your mind?” she said, smiling.

“I was thinking of taking up the League's magic challenge again,” he said. “See, I need to prove that I can use my inherited powers without killing. We don't know if the three goddesses are completely gone or if their spirits remain, but I think such proof would go a long ways to appeasing them. But then, the challenge will involve many battles in which I’m an active participant, instead of the ones here where I’m mostly guiding my Pokemon. It'll be a risk to any who battle me that way, so I’ve decided that before I even start, I want all of the League members to be informed of the danger and to agree to give me a chance. You and Sycamore are best suited to bring it up to them, so would you do it for me?”

“Oo, that sounds spectacular,” Korrina said, excited rather than fearful. She made a playful punch in the air, then nodded. “Sure thing! There's a meeting coming up this weekend that should make it an appropriate discussion. I mean, I believe in you, but you're right, we don't want to spring a deadly surprise like that on anybody. I'll make sure that they understand the threat, but also that you're doing all you can to lessen it.”

“Thanks, I appreciate it,” he said with a nod.

Then she leaned towards him and wagged a finger. “But I better warn you that if we go in telling them that you've got this unusual power on top of being a mega ring user, then you're probably going to find some extra challenges put in your way. Keep in mind that you're working to impress these goddesses, so we have to make extra sure you deserve the honor.”

He grinned; that prospect was exciting. “Sure thing, I’ll look forward to that.”

However, there was one last thing he wanted to do before starting preparations to face the Kalos Pokemon League: take claim of the Asari dagger and pass his teacher's test. Now that he had Korrina's word, he checked on what he had on hand. He took his school bag back to his dorm room and changed out of his school uniform; this wasn't a fight to be wearing mostly white to. Ever since he got back from the Anistar hospital, he'd taken to putting the miracle flower on his clothes somewhere, either in a button hole or carefully pinned in place. There was no control in what it would do, but he hoped it might give him an extra chance against his ancestors. That would stay, under the cowl where it was less likely to be hit. Then he made sure his Pokemon knew what was going on and recalled them to their Pokeballs. In that way, he could use swiftstep to reach the graveyard near Anistar in a few minutes.

He stopped near the entrance, walking the rest of the way in to the war memorial. It was evening now, cool although not as bad as the last time he'd been here. Due to the time and weather, the graveyard was quiet. A few Pokemon cries could be heard in the distance, but this place seemed still. When he activated his heightened senses, he sensed a woman, a Ninjask, and a Shedinja in the graveyard, currently by one of the trees where he couldn't really see them.

Calem stopped near the tree. “Excuse me, but you really should leave this place,” he said, just loud enough that she could hear clearly.

“Thanks for worrying, but we're fine,” she said, stepping around the tree in sight. Her Ninjask darted in front of her, peering at them; the Shedinja drifted after their Trainer. “Funny that you noticed us out here, stranger.”

He shrugged. “I have my ways. But really, it's going to become dangerous here in a little while. We'd rather there not be bystanders.”

“I’m prepared,” she said, confident. “I'm Alexa, from the Lumiose Press. I'm here looking for an unusual spirit that a few people have reported. Not sure if we can find it, but...” a crackle interrupted her, preceding a dark shield going up around them. His Pokemon appeared around him, apparently forced out from the wary looks of some. Underneath the shield, it began to rain.

Not good. “Looks like you'll find a spirit at least, but a very unfriendly one,” he said. “Do you have protective spells for you and your Pokemon? You should get them active.”

“Sure, I said I was prepared,” Alexa said, snapping her fingers and casting a glimmering shield around the three of them.

While it was bad luck that she was here, Calem figured she'd end up being part of the test. Hoping that she wouldn't end up dying, he approached the memorial. It was dedicated to the 388 who had fallen to Heinrich in the Great War. His great-grandfather’s name was on there, so without a gravestone this would be the most logical place for his spirit to be. Taking a moment to remind himself that he didn't want this to end up as part of who he was, he took hold of the dagger (in a margin where it didn't interfere with the victims' names) and pulled it out. The point and edges were all sharp, with one edge jagged; it was a painful looking weapon. On the steel blade, there were clawing black marks much like those that ended up on the marked Asari.

Heinrich appeared close behind Alexa. Her Ninjask buzzed in alarm and darted at him; he swatted it away with his hand. As quickly as he could, Calem fired off Water Pulse at Heinrich, forcing him to warp away from her. “You need to kill someone here,” Heinrich said when he reappeared, attacking him with the same spell.

Calem warped out of that and thought. Heinrich was already dead, so technically he should be able to 'kill' him and pass this test. That is, if he could connect with a constantly moving target. But he already had a plan for this, provided he could pick out something subtle. “Keep him moving,” Calem called to his Pokémon.

Normally, he didn't use focus objects to cast. Even when his fellow students used wands or amulets to help them, he'd never had a problem with casting itself. This time, he focused his senses on the dagger before taking a deeper look at the situation. The dagger represented the awareness of the Asari. With it in hand, he shouldn't miss anything. The details of this location were numerous: the tiny power of a blade of grass, the feelings of grief and memory attached to the gravestones, the preparations of Alexa (who hadn't come to find Heinrich, and thus wasn't as prepared as she thought she was)... and the one thing he needed, the connection between Heinrich and the eldest Asari. Thin and flexible like a fishing line, but he'd seen it broken before.

Calem warped to a point on top of a taller tombstone, right in the way of that connection. Before it could flail away, he sliced through it with the dagger. It wasn't a physical thing, but between the magical forces of the dagger and the connection, he felt a strong resistance for a second. He focused all of his attention to that connection and the dagger. With that added effort, the connection snapped and Heinrich stumbled where he had most recently landed. Calem hopped off the gravestone and made sure he had his balance before using a swiftstep to face Heinrich.

“I killed the connection,” he said.

Heinrich's face returned to him and he smirked. “I guess that interpretation counts. You wouldn't have accomplished it without knowing your powers.” He straightened up and looked around. “I'm sorry.”

“You don't have to be,” Calem said, smiling. “I’m glad I could free you.”

He shook his head. “There’s a lot I am guilty of, not just in pushing the family ideas on you to stave off their suspicions of me. Although what concerns me the most now is you. You're taking an enormous risk in defying the eldest. As far as I know, no one's rebelled against him as much as you have. But now that I’m cut off from him, I don't know if I have the energy to sustain myself to watch over you anymore. I wish I could help.”

Calem was going to tell him that his help so far had been more than enough and he shouldn't worry. But then he felt a pulse of power from the miracle flower in his shirt pocket. What did it want to do? He pulled it out and held it up between them; the petals had a glow like moonlight. “You’ve helped me a lot already. But, maybe this miracle can do something for you. It's just, it could do anything, good or bad.”

“If it resonates with my wish, maybe it will answer it,” Heinrich said, reaching out for the flower. Once he touched its petals, it exploded like the last one, causing the ghost to be surrounded by the white petals. They condensed, forming into a speckled Pokemon egg that floated in front of Calem. He'd been turned into a Pokemon? Well, it would allow him to stay and help. Calem took hold of the egg, but it immediately cracked.

“Wow, that's not what I thought we'd be finding at all,” Alexa said, coming over.

The shield around the graveyard was broken, although Calem felt a distant anger at his victory. “Thank goodness it didn't last long,” he said. “That was my great-grandfather, the rain assassin of the Great War.”

“That could still make for a great story,” she said, sounding eager at the prospect. She reminded him of someone, but he couldn't think of who right off. “Although it seems he won't be haunting this place anymore if you'll be looking after him reborn into a Pokemon.”

“Right,” Calem said, shortly before the egg completely cracked open. In his arms, there was now a small Pokemon, part mossy tree stump and part mournful ghost. “Hello again, Heinrich. That's a surprising form.”

“He's a Phantump,” Alexa said. “And not really surprising. Folklore says they come from spirits who come to inhabit old stumps.” Then she grinned. “So, you want to go into Anistar and tell me the scoop? There's a great cafe nearby, I can take you there.”

He dismissed the dagger and cowl so that he appeared normal to her. “Maybe a little bit, but would you please not reveal who I am? There's a few who know, but I don't want it to get widespread.”

_She agreed to that, so I told her some of our story. As for my great-grandfather, it was soon clear that he wasn't a normal Phantump. He retained the three abilities of the Asari, making him unusually quick and accurate while being able to hide or reveal his presence as he pleased. Also like us, he was not strong for a Phantump. Still, when I started bringing him to Battle Club for training, we won a few battles by making him nigh impossible to hit and stalling until the opponent Pokemon was too exhausted to continue._

* * *

It was a nice day, so Calem and his friends took their lunch outside to eat with their Pokemon. “What did Korrina have to tell you earlier?” Shauna asked after a little while.

“Oh yeah, I wanted to tell you about that,” Calem said, opening his bag. Then Heinrich offered the letter that had been given him. “Hey, you sneaking looks at it?”

“Ke hehe” the Phantump replied, winking at him. Since he was reborn from a human, he retained a lot of knowledge, including how to read and write.

“You know, between you having a notorious prankster like Yorick and now a Pokemon who can write, I think your team is going to cause a lot of trouble in the future,” Trevor said jokingly.

“Nah, Swift will keep them in line,” Calem said, opening up the letter from the League. “I asked Korrina a few days about letting the League members know about my powers. I want to start challenging gyms again for the proofs, but I don't want to get into battles like that without them knowing.”

Shauna laughed. “Normally you wouldn't go telling your opponent what exactly you can do, you know?”

“But in this case, it's nice to give them the warning,” Tierno said. “Still, I'm sure you'll do great! What'd they say?”

Calem smiled. “They agreed to it. But with a few provisions. Firstly, if I cause any of them or their Pokemon a severe injury, the League has the right to take any proofs or badges I’ve earned previously away. That's fine.”

“I think they can do that with anyone,” Trevor said. “But the only cases of that are when a Gym Pokemon dies as a result of a challenger's actions.”

He nodded. “Haven't heard of that myself, but it makes sense. Secondly, I must reserve my matches for the proofs at least a week in advance. But I know from working in the gyms that they really prefer advance warning on those already; at least two days notice is required for the highest two proofs anyhow. They'll probably give most of the gym trainers that time off too, just in case.”

“The leaders probably need that time to be ready themselves, even if they are masters,” Shauna said.

“Yeah, I’m not a normal challenger. And lastly, I had two requests on the order I take on the proofs. Olympia wants to be seventh, and Ramos wants me to face him last. Other than that, I can take on the gyms in whatever order I like.”

“I've heard that Ramos can be really tough at higher levels,” Trevor said. “Even if he runs a Grass gym with a number of weaknesses, he's that skilled.”

“He’d be tough for me at any level,” Calem said. “Humans are technically typeless as casters, but I’m an exception. I know it's hard to tell, but my aura aligns with Water and Dark auras, as does one of my Pokemon. Because of that, facing a caster who favors Grass spells could lead me to a quick defeat.” He sat back and counted off on his fingers. “Or Electric, or Fighting, or Fairy, so half the gyms are not favorable for me while only two are and one sort of is. For those, I have to figure on how to have my team help me out.”

* * *

_With the idea that I wanted to get what unfavorable aura match-ups out of the way that I could, I put my attention to defeating Clemont's gym first. Electric aura Pokemon don't have a lot of weaknesses, but they don't have many resistances either. More importantly, I had some idea of how I could counter Korrina and Valerie's Pokemon with my own, but not Clemont's. He was now the novice Gym Leader, as he was still a teenager too and his gym had only opened up the previous fall, after he'd lost his position as the Trainer Champion. Thus, there wasn't much information available on what Pokemon he was using and what spells he was capable of. That and one other fact made things ideal to deal with him at an easier level now than later._

The school bell rang. “All right, now class is officially dismissed,” Professor Sycamore said, having let them relax for the last portion of the school day. “Calem, stay here a moment.”

“What is it?” he asked, picking up his school bag and going over to Sycamore's desk. “I have some plans this afternoon.”

He smiled knowingly. “The gym, right? I trust you to keep in control, but even so, the League has decided on precautions for public safety. Prism Tower is in the middle of the largest city around, and it's an open-air structure that can't be locked down as quickly as others. They're closing down Centrico Plaza for the duration on the excuse of maintenance, since you're not far enough along for people to be paying attention.”

“I feel better knowing they're doing that,” he agreed. He had to wait for his classmates to leave and help Sycamore close down the classroom, but then they could head out for the gym.

The city workmen had even brought along some of their equipment to set up, making the reason more believable even if they weren't doing anything. There were a few policemen hanging around too, but they were the only others in the large plaza around Prism Tower. Being that it was the middle of the day, when this place would usually be bustling with tourists, locals, and couples, it was a little eerie to have it so empty.

At the base of the tower, Clemont greeted them. He was the blond haired boy Calem had seen here in the winter of his fourth year of school, now dressed in white work overalls and long heavy gloves suitable for working with live electricity. On his back, there was something that appeared to be a metal backpack; it looked too heavy to be practical. “Hello, professor, good to see you again,” Clemont said, shaking Sycamore's hand.

He grinned. “Hey, Clemont! It's been a while. Looks like you're staying just as bright as you were in school. And of course, this is one of my homeroom students, Calem.”

“Good to meet you, Clemont,” Calem said, accepting a handshake too.

“The same,” he said, nodding. “You’re a lucky guy to get in Sycamore's homeroom; that has to be a fun class. But we're here to deal with your challenge, right? Well, first things first: take this and use a base rune to activate it. Any rune, as long as it's meaningful to you.”

“All right,” he said, taking the object. It looked like a glass orb, twice the size of his fist with a metal ring around the circumference. Inside, there seemed to be a light coming from nothing. A base rune, so just one letter... he chose one that meant 'awareness', a portion of the heightened awareness spell. The glass then dissolved into dust, causing the light and ring to lift up from his hand.

“That’s a spirit orb,” Clemont said. “Get used to its presence because from here on out, you'll be using one in all of your magic battles for the League, along with us. It's a standard precaution. What it does is absorb damage for you until it hits the point you would fall unconscious, or worse. It then breaks, signaling the end of the battle. Humans don't heal as easily as Pokemon, you know, and this should prevent more serious injuries.”

Calem nodded. “I see. I'll still be careful.”

“That’s good. Now for your challenge, you remember your first proof? That one is simple, as you just need to demonstrate that you can use magic in battle. For the second proof, you need to straight out win a magic duel. No Pokemon to help either of us. I will be holding back to certain standards, but it still won't be easy. Got it?”

“Yes, I’m ready,” Calem said. It might be foolish on some level to pick the gym he was weak to for this magic duel challenge. Then again, if he won it proved his skills without killing to his ancestors and the fallen gods.

“One more thing,” Clemont said, pointing into the tower. “You still have to make it through my gym to the top in order to face me. Don't use the stairs or elevator, those are for tourists. Gym challengers of all sorts must pass through a teleporter maze rigged to quizzing stations. Answer right and you'll get there quickly. Answer wrong and you'll have to get through more questions to reach me. Usually the gym trainers too, but not today, it's just the quiz.”

“Shouldn’t be a problem for an LMA student, right?” Sycamore said, elbowing Calem.

“Right,” he said nodding.

“Good, then I’ll meet you up top,” Clemont said, heading inside.

And the quiz questions really weren't a problem. Most of them were magic related; someone who was here for the proof was doing the wrong challenge if they couldn't answer these right. Although there was one that made him stop and think, as it gave him silhouettes of three similar butterfly Pokemon and asked him to identify the shadow of one. It could have been trouble as he didn't know one of them, but then it asked for the Vivillion's silhouette. That was a familiar Pokemon to him from working in Viola's Gym, so he didn't miss a single question and got to the top in five of them.

With a yellow tinted spirit orb, Clemont was waiting in the open square on the top level. Many electric lights were around; they made the structure glow brilliantly at night. As it was daytime, sunlight and breezy air spilled in the large openings. It was almost like being back outside again, even with the crisscrossing shadows from the uppermost structure. “Just as expected,” he said, nodding. “So you've come for a magic duel? I don't know if you've heard, but I’m not a pure wizard. I am a wizard and a machinist.” He flung his hand out, activating the backpack he wore. Rapidly, it transformed into body armor, complete with a helm, a visor, arm guards, and leg guards. Much of it was a sturdy black fabric, with bands of metal here and there. Mostly on the arms.

That was impressive. Although the battle hadn't yet started, Calem activated his senses and noted that the fabric was actually quite tough. Pokemon would have a hard time piercing it with claws or stingers. The spirit orb had been set to break at a lower level than Calem's, but getting through that armor could be a challenge. Meanwhile, Clemont brought his hand up to his chest in a dramatic motion and started to finish his speech. But he was interrupted by the voice of a pre-adolescent girl. “Yeah, and you won't find a better fighter with that combo than my brother!”

“Bonnie!” Clemont called angrily (although much of it was out of concern for her). “I told you not to come today!”

A short girl in blond pigtails appeared from the balcony where she'd been hiding behind some of the steel structures. If Calem hadn't been analyzing the armor, he would have noticed her right away. She wore nothing like the armor, just a black tank top and a white skirt. “But I always help you at the gym. That's what you promised, right?”

Clemont shook his head. “Not always, just when you can be here.”

“And I can be here now, so I am,” Bonnie said, as if that decided things.

“Just not today, please,” Clemont said. “This battle is,” he hesitated, trying to find the words to convince her but not insult Calem.

“I have special arrangements with the Pokemon League,” Calem said. “One of those conditions is that no one is to be involved without knowing the reason behind the arrangements. Do you know why?”

“Um, because you're one of the academy students?” she guessed.

“No,” Calem said. “So you have to leave.”

“You can just tell me,” Bonnie said, stamping her foot down.

“No we can't,” Clemont said. “I’m really sorry, but that's how things are and you can't stay today.” When she started another argument, he added, “I'll tell Mom if you don't.”

“Oh, fiiine,” she said, going to the elevator and taking it down.

Once the elevator was going down, Clemont sighed and shook his head. “Sorry about that. She's really eager and good for her age, but some days she seems to think that she runs the gym, not me.”

“Sometimes I wish I had a sibling to annoy me,” Calem said. Then he'd be a normal guy without magic dictating exactly how his family was.

“It’s nice, sometimes,” he said.

“She’s staying on the ground floor,” he said, since his senses told him that she had stopped by the elevator. Possibly intent on getting to the teleporter in a minute so she could get back up here.

Clemont nodded and waved a hand to call his handheld holocaster to him. Putting the signal to a unit on the ground floor, he said, “Bonnie, I know you're still down there. Go back home.”

“You can't know that!” she protested, out of sight of the holocaster camera.

“I know for certain now,” he said, causing her to give up and go home. Once they were sure of that, he sent the holocaster away. “All right, enough interruptions. Ready?”

He nodded. “Ready.”

“Then we begin!” And right off the bat, Clemont cast a spell that caused the whole room to become electrically charged. The aura of nearly everything but Calem was shifted over to Electric type.

Okay, maybe this was a really bad idea. But he hadn’t known Clemont was capable of that, so Calem had to deal with the situation he was in. It seemed the main purpose of the enchantment was to prevent sleep status, but it seemed to be interacting with Clemont’s suit as well as making him have a higher awareness level too. Calem took a moment to use an evasion enchantment, since it was really important he not be hit here. Then he warped to the edge of Clemont’s peripheral vision and cast Water Pulse at him. It was a surprisingly strong hit; maybe his mechanical unit wasn’t entirely water proof. But then it became clear what the suit did with the electric terrain; it was slowly healing him as long as he was touching an electrified surface.

And then Clemont actually hit him with a spell; the Shock Wave had come at Calem fast, but even when he warped to the side, it pursued him. It stung; something he could feel through half his body even with the spirit orb’s protection. But it didn’t break, meaning he was still in the fight. Although, any attack that connected now would easily take him out.

He began to hear whispers to take Clemont out quickly, and powerfully so that he could kill him in spite of the spirit orb’s help. He tried to ignore them as he used Water Pulse again, but then he sensed fear from Clemont. This was it, the kind of thrill that his ancestors had chased after for generations. Even better, the confusion effect stuck, leaving Clemont to start panicking. He might even miss with that homing spell. Someone’s life was entirely at his mercy and the victim knew it. The intensity of this moment was something he could chase after his whole life, seeking to live it again and again, to win through ending lives.

No, he needed to end this quickly but non-lethally. Clement could take him out instantly if he shook off that confusion and used Shock Wave again. But his spirit orb was at low energy too in spite of the continual healing, so Calem used Water Pulse once more. Might have been quicker to use the dagger, but this was a magic duel.

Clemont’s spirit orb broke, restoring damage to both him and his suit while clearing up the confusion. Immediately, a black lizard Pokemon appeared by the Leader and tugged at his sleeve in concern. They both needed to calm down, so Calem took a deep breath before saying, “Wow, that was really close.”

“No kidding,” Clemont said, putting a hand to his chest. “I’m okay, Lisk, really. Phew, excuse me for saying so, but I hope I don’t have a fight like that again.”

“I’d feel the same, don’t worry,” he said.

With a snap, Clemont caused Calem’s orb to break and heal him as well. “I can see that now. A number of us were worried about having someone like you compete. But Korrina and Sycamore spoke highly of you, as well as the other League members you’ve spoken with. I think we were right to trust you. Normally we’d applaud those who obviously have great power and skill, but I think you’ve done well in your restraint as well. For a moment, I knew you really could kill me in one strike even with the spirit orb.” His Pokemon (that was a Heliolisk, right?) bumped his head against Clemont’s arm, so he petted him.

Calem nodded. “Thanks. My power is inherited, but restraint is what I’ve been learning.”

“At any rate, you’ve done well and won, so you’ve earned my proof of magic.” Clemont deactivated his battle suit so he could take the proof pin out of his pocket. Due to his status as a mage and machinist, it looked rather like a piece of machinery. “Now that you have two, most low level Pokemon should come to respect you quickly and bookstores will be more willing to sell you spell books as it’s proof of your ability. Also, I can teach you one of the spells I used in battle if you want.”

“Thanks. Actually, I think that homing spell will be useful to me.” Especially since, as spirits, the Asari were more than slightly affected by aura types. He also wanted to make sure Clemont knew he didn’t mean harm, so he added, “And hey, want to go to a café just to talk? I’m sure we could convince Sycamore to come.”

He smiled and nodded. “Sure, that’d be fun.”

_As it turned out, Clemont and Shauna had been friends and neighbors when he had been in LMA, so sometimes the two of us would go by Prism Tower to talk with him. Bonnie was always something of a pain, but we became friends too after a while._


	26. Fairy Dance

_I was hoping to get my plans together quickly. Serena had told me that Lysandre planned on five years more and one of those was mostly by me when my fifth year of school ended. While I knew it would be tough, I wanted to get three more proofs during that summer. Three more gyms would give me extra challenge, although one had to wait for last. With that in mind, I requested to challenge Valerie on the first day of summer break._

It happened to be raining when he arrived at the train station in Laverre. But even with the rain, this town had a way of being bright all the same. The weather seemed to make the colors more vibrant, especially in the flower gardens and mushroom patches. Many people walked the quaint streets, almost all of them with fanciful umbrellas to keep dry. As usual, Calem chose not to use one and walked to the gym while enjoying the weather.

Valerie met him in the entrance room. This time, she was dressed in Japanese fashion; Calem wasn’t sure what to call it, but it was a nice purple with red flowers, and wide arms that almost looked like wings along with her usual wing accessory. She smiled as she curtsied to him. “Hello Calem, wonderful to see you again. You’ve grown nicely, although it’s a shame to hear what’s come to afflict you.”

“I’m doing this to prove I won’t fall victim to it,” he said. “Thanks for accepting my challenge.”

She nodded. “I’m glad to help, especially with someone who did so nicely in helping me. About this challenge, you may remember a bit of it but not all. As your third proof challenge, you may pick two of your Pokemon to accompany you through it, no more and no less. You will find me in my usual room, although the teleporters are arranged differently than when you were here.”

“I was expecting that,” Calem said. It didn’t make sense for them to keep the layout exactly the same every year, as people would hear about it from others. And two of his Pokemon… it didn’t take him long to decide to call on Starlet and Yorick. The Mawile smiled at Valerie, a touch glad to see her again and a touch proud to be chosen for this. The Gengar quickly sunk into the shadows, observing.

“There’s something else to the challenge,” Valerie said, after giving a wave to Starlet. “When you face me, I will have a barrier on me that will reduce any damage I take. It has several layers and once you enter battle, there will be no way to take out the barrier. But you have thirty minutes to reach me, so there might be something you could do about it before then.” She smiled. “Normally I’d give a couple extra hints, but in your case, you have to figure it out yourself.”

“All right, I’ll do my best.”

With that, she clapped her hands to summon a spirit orb for both of them. “Good, then I’ll be seeing you. The clocks will be keeping track of your time.” She curtsied again, then teleported out of the room on her own.

Thirty minutes. There were nine rooms to the Gym itself, not counting the ones not open to the public but counting this entrance. While it shouldn’t take too much time to search nine rooms, there were also the teleporters to figure out plus whatever would affect her barrier. Due to the rain, his senses were sharp but he cast the heightened senses spell just in cast. Nothing stood out to him in the entrance, but he could tell which room the two active teleport pads would send him to. One would send him to another first floor room, while another would send him to the second floor. He took the former, waving for Starlet to follow him. Yorick should find him, if he wanted. If he didn’t, the Gengar would respond to his name.

The teleporter sent him to the sewing room: it held a sewing machine, a loom, a basket of yarn, a drawer of supplies, and a number of colorful cloths hanging on the wall. Much of it had signs of being used. However, only the teleporters and one item had active magic on them. The one item was a small painting among a group of photographs. Even without a sense for aura, it might stand out for not being a photo. The photos were all of looms, some with people and some without. The painting also had a loom with a vibrant cloth in it, but the difference in medium was enough.

Checking the painting, the spell seemed to be an illusion activated on touch. He wasn’t sure if breaking the enchantment would break the barrier right off, so he touched the frame. The room shimmered and after a moment, he and Starlet was in a different room. It looked much like the sewing room, but with a larger loom instead of a sewing machine. On it, there was the cloth that had been on the painting’s loom. There was even a basket of threads used for the cloth next to it.

The illusion aura was everywhere as this wasn’t a real space. Something in here should affect the barrier, but what? It was masterful magic, as he couldn’t be sure. Maybe if he focused with the dagger… no, he’d take a look around first. What had the painting looked like? He looked back at the wall, only to find that the painting now showed the real sewing room. It was nearly identical to this illusionary room, aside from the big sewing machine being a loom and the yarn balls in the basket. Maybe those.

He looked over the yarn, then the cloth in the loom. There, he found something inconsistent: the cloth had a floral pattern, but there was a noticeable patch where the flower in the design was red instead of blue. It was the only red one in the cloth so far. Hopefully he wouldn’t have to remake it, since he wasn’t sure how to weave. But the illusion was touch based, so he touched the red flower.

It glowed briefly and summoned a trio of Floettes, two with red flowers and one with a blue flower. But they were all illusions, just like this room. After a cheery greeting, they wrapped themselves in energy and bounded around the room. Calem quickly figured out that he had to capture the blue flower Floette, so he did his best to follow that one. After half a minute, the three Floettes returned, still wrapped in energy. The shell game was simple; he picked out the blue one and Starlet quickly had it defeated in battle. That allowed the flower on the fabric to turn blue; a distant feeling seemed like one of the barriers had been broken.

Returning to the sewing room, they found Yorick waiting on them, grinning wide. “We’ve got it, but you need to keep up so you can help too,” Calem said, patting him on the head. All of the teleporters in this room, save the one he came in, went to the second floor. He picked the room above this one.

This brought him into a lovely kitchen, one that he knew was functional but was kept immaculately clean. But nothing in the room stood out like the painting before, so he took a teleporter down to the other first floor room. This was a parlor, complete with an antique Victrola record player and a grandfather clock; there was a record playing what seemed to be Japanese music, a little at odds with the decor. This room did have a number of paintings on the wall, with one having the illusion magic on it. Knowing what might come, Calem took a careful look at the painting before touching it. It looked like an exact replica of this room, except instead of a red and gold color scheme, the room in the painting was done in blue and silver.

“Yorick, why don’t you try touching it?” Calem suggested.

The Gengar chuckled and stretched up to tap it with a clawed hand. Like before, he and Yorick were transported into the illusionary room, but without Starlet this time. It didn’t take long to find another difference: this room was silent aside from the ticking of the grandfather clock. Calem went over and found that there was a record in the Victrola, with a label that looked like it might have Japanese on it. Or another Asian language, he wasn’t sure. He set it to play.

At least two dozen Cleffa appeared in the room: bouncing on the sofa, dancing on the tables, scurrying around the floor. There were in an entire spectrum of colors too, even a pair in silver and gold twirling around in front of a mirror. One pale green one ran right into Calem’s foot and vanished; this did nothing to break a barrier or the illusion. Not only that, but a few of them were squealing in a manner that made an unpleasant feeling in his mind. Maybe some Fairy aura spell?

Trying to ignore the mild pain, he put his hand on his head. “Okay… Cleffa are supposed to be…”

He was about to say pink when Yorick raised a fist and launched himself across the room to punch the sole pink Cleffa hiding underneath a chair. Yorick then raised both fists in a victory pose as the Cleffas, the illusion room, and the barrier layer vanished. Reappearing in the actual parlor, Starlet glanced at them, raising an eyebrow at Yorick.

“How did you do that so quickly?” Calem asked. But then a bit of thought came to him. “Wait, that was Sucker Punch, right? It always hits as long as… oh, so it would send you right at the right Cleffa because it was attacking. Guess I could have done the same with Shock Wave. Nice work there.”

“Gwa hah,” Yorick replied, proud of himself.

Two barriers seemed right for a third badge challenge, but Calem knew she might be giving him a tougher challenge due to his extra skills. For that reason, he made sure to check on the four other rooms. They next found the bathroom, which was clearly labeled as being unusable. No illusions were there, so they moved on through the teleporter to the study. It had been a nice room to work in, with the books kept behind protective glass that would hold up to any stray energy flying around in battle. In there, he found a teleporter to Valerie’s battle room (provided it was still the central room on the top floor), but no illusions. He skipped the battle room for the dining room instead.

There were paintings on the wall, but no illusions. However, hovering over the elegantly set table, there was a Klefki holding a small glass orb on a chain among its collection of keys. The orb held Valerie’s magic, so it was something she had made. In the center of the table, there was a covered dish that she’d also enchanted, but not with the illusion or barrier magic. The Klefki clinked its keys and looked right at him.

“Is this for something or a distraction?” Calem wondered aloud. The Klefki squeaked, then tried to knock the cover to the dish over. It couldn’t do so, but it seemed oddly interested in uncovering it. Glancing over the table, he noticed something didn’t quite look right: the silverware. “Wait, I don’t think this is right. I had to learn table setting when I worked here for this room. It was, er,”

It had been a while ago, but he tried swapping a fork and spoon. That undid some of the dish’s enchantment, so he went around the table and checked on the settings. At one corner, there was a plate missing a napkin. At one in the center of a side, there was an extra knife that belonged at the plate to the left. The dish was no longer enchanted shut, so Calem lifted the lid to reveal a silver key formed like the silverware. The Klefki jangled in excitement, happily giving him the orb on its ring in exchange for the silver key.

“Maaa wi,” Starlet called, pointing out one of the paintings on the wall. It showed what a proper table setting was, with silverware and dishes that matched what was on the table.

“Oh, so there was a guide here,” Calem said. “Not sure what the orb is for, but I’m glad we made the little guy happy.”

The Klefki was still dancing around in the air with the silver key, so they moved on to the bedroom. It was a lavish room, like a fairy tale princess’ room. Taking up a fair portion of the room was a canopy bed with rich purple drapes. A vanity sat on one side of the bed while a wardrobe carved with flowers and flower Pokemon sat on the other. Like the dining room and sewing room, this had been a tough room to battle in due to the layout. That was one advantage to challenging the gyms in the way he was.

There were a number of paintings on the wall, including one with the illusion and barrier magic. So she did have an extra barrier layer. Looking at it, there didn’t seem to be a difference between that room and this one. Calem looked back over the real room, then down at his Pokemon. “You both coming this time?”

They both agreed, with Starlet nodding and Yorick grinning wider. Calem touched the frame and sent them all into the illusion room. Again, it looked no different than the normal room. The aura was definitely full of illusions, so full that it was difficult to read anything but illusion. Something should give a clue of how to undo it. Watching the way aura moved, he tried to find an end or beginning to it. But it was such a hazy tangle.

“Huh, looks like this one means to mess up anyone who has an aura sense,” Calem said, looking around. “You two are gonna have to help me figure this out; it’s confusing to me.”

Yorick sank down into the floor and began sniffing around, while Starlet walked around near him to look over things. Calem tried opening up the wardrobe, but its door would not budge. Near the knob, there was a small keyhole. Maybe that had something to do with it? Yorick emerged from the middle of the bed, muttering. Since this might take a key, he walked around the bed while Starlet peered under it for some reason. The vanity seemed like the obvious place to put a key, so he tried the drawer and found that it did have a key, a silver one like the Klefki had taken. Yorick then called in triumph, pulling a key from under one of the pillows, while Starlet crawled out from under the bed with a third key.

“Looks like we have to figure out the key now,” Calem said, kneeling down to take the key from Starlet as well as check her for any dust from crawling under there. It was a surprise that she’d done so, but with no dust it must have been clean. She had an iron key with a flower design on it, while Yorick had white key with an ornate handle. the wall, including one with the illusion and barrier magic. so n the other. like on of keys.pel

But the wardrobe had a pattern of flowers on it. He took the keys back over and put in the iron key, as its design matched the wardrobe. Clicking in place easily, it opened up the door to release a Dedenne illusion. Possible trouble for Calem, but none for his two Pokemon, allowing them to get back to the normal room. From there, they backtracked to the study in order to reach Valerie’s room.

Compared to the other rooms, this one was simple. There was a large sculpture on the wall, matching the design of the gym’s badge and proof. On the floor, there were a couple of teleport pads. That was all; it had been left clear for the more challenging battles that took place here. In the back of the room, Valerie was waiting with a Mr. Mime and a Sylveon. “Are you done?” she asked. “There’s still a few minutes.”

“I’m sure,” Calem said, as he didn’t sense any barriers in the room. However, the Mr. Mime excelled at barriers. It might be a good idea to take it out quickly once the battle begun, just so it didn’t start blocking damage.

She took a few steps closer to get in place with her Pokemon. “As you might have guessed, this challenge was to test your perception.” She snapped her fingers, causing the Klefki’s orb to float away from him before shattering. It decreased the amount of damage her spirit orb could take. “And your kindness has even given you a small bonus. But you still must win this battle. Three against three, the Trainer and two Pokemon each. The first side to lose all three members loses. Is your side ready to begin?”

He glanced at his two Pokemon. Yorick winked while Starlet nodded solemnly, watching Valerie. “Yes, we are.”

Bringing a red orb into existence, Valerie said. “All right, then when the light goes green, we begin.” It flashed red a few times, then yellow, and finally green.

“After the Mime,” Calem commanded, using Shock Wave to make sure he hit him.

Yorick followed up by firing a venomous spike in Poison Jab at the shocked Mr. Mime, knocking him out before he could do anything. Starlet was still preparing, so she switched her target to Valerie to bash her steel jaw into the Leader’s side. Valerie had already cast a spell that turned the floor into a grassy field. However, this wasn’t an illusion; it was an enchantment that seemed to have a healing effect attached to it. At her side, the Sylveon was tapping its front paws, charging up some spell aimed at him. Calem warped out of the way to Yorick’s other side, quickly weighing the choices.

“Confuse Valerie, then focus on the Sylveon,” Calem said, preparing his own Water Pulse spell to use against the latter. That status effect would help them immensely.

Then a glint like moonlight appeared around the Sylveon and before he could warp again, the pink and white Pokemon blasted him with a beam of Fairy energy. His spirit orb shattered immediately, although the aftereffects of the attack left him lightheaded. Since he was out of the fight, he warped back into one of the corners to keep out of the way. Yorick and Starlet were on their own now. He trusted both of them to hold their own, but would they work together?

After a brief moment of concern, Yorick used Confuse Ray on Valerie. That should make it harder for her to cast properly, as one of the big dangers was Valerie using a Psychic spell on the Gengar. Since this gym had once been classified as Psychic, she had to know several. Would the Sylveon know Psychic skills too? He hadn’t worked much with them.

Starlet pulled her steel jaw over her head, calling something to Yorick before dancing aside and striking the Sylveon with her jaw. With the Steel aura she’d gathered, it should hurt the Sylveon a lot. Yorick slipped into the floor, then used Poison Jab against the Sylveon as well, almost taking it out of the fight too. Calem smiled, relieved that the two were cooperating in order to win the battle for him.

Without warning, anger clutched at his thoughts and tinged his vision. Calem dug his nails into his palms and closed his eyes. ‘I am not killing anyone here.’

_Why are you being a coward and keeping out of the fight? For that matter, why be so stupid as to start a battle face to face with your opponent? That’s not what our skills are for._

“This isn’t a battle for our skills,” Calem said quietly. “And I’m not breaking the rules.”

_Battles should not have rules. It’s a violent means to prove your strength, so it’s naïve to cover it up by making sure everyone survives unharmed._

“You don’t understand,” Calem started to say, but then things like memories appeared in his thoughts. Not his memories, though. These were memories of the Asari, many rapid short fights with others that ended in the death of the opponent. Even some of his family’s final moments, against powerful foes they willingly sought out and lost against in order not to grow old and weak. Or a son against a father, proving his deadly skill by slaying the one who taught him. That was how they expected his battle against Heinrich to go.

“Calem?” Valerie called to him, as the battle seemed to be over. She was there without her spirit orb, but her Sylveon wasn’t around. Already by his side, Starlet didn’t seem too hurt while Yorick was pushing himself to remain conscious.

Before he realized it, he’d summoned the dagger to his right hand and was trying to straighten up from leaning on the wall. Calem clenched the dagger, but forced himself to keep it down and caused his hand to tremble. The eldest Asari still had a connection to him. _You have no choice, boy, and I’ll take you over if I have to make you join us._

Valerie seemed remarkably calm as she studied him, especially how he held the dagger. She gave him a smile that looked a little sad, then lifted her hands and started to dance. Why dance when he was struggling to keep control of himself? Then her aura intensified, pulling strongly on the Fairy type. It had to be some kind of attack. Perhaps the official battle was over, but she was going to defend herself.

Just behind her, the green circle of a warp position appeared. _******, move before she hits you!_

No. Calem was certain that this was going to hurt, but it’d hurt the Asari more. Not able to send the dagger away quite yet, he stood his ground. At the last moment, he thought to mentally reach out and force the connection to remain active, just in case the spirit tried to escape. Thoughts of curses filled his mind as Valerie’s spell hit him like a twirling dance of many Clefairies. That was a pleasant thought, but this was a sickening feeling through his body. But it was far worse for the Asari spirit, who wrenched himself out of Calem’s aura and cut the connection to get away from it.

Valerie immediately stopped dancing and changed to a neutral healing spell instead. “I’m sorry, but it was necessary,” she said.

Even with the healing, his legs felt weak. Calem sunk to the floor, clasping Starlet’s hand for reassurance. “It’s okay… you did a lot worse to him, thank you.”

“Kuuur,” Starlet cooed, making sure her steel jaw was out of the way to hug him.

“It’s not often I get thanked for attacking someone,” Vlaerie said in amusement. “Well your darling Pokemon have won the match for you. They coordinated with each other wonderfully once you had to step back; I should let you borrow a tape of it so you can see. Especially Starlet.” She smiled warmly at the Mawile and patted her steel jaw. “You’ve become a wonderful little lady, and I’m proud to see you come so far.”

Starlet blushed at the praise, but smiled all the same.

* * *

Since he’d been unable to pay attention to half the battle, Calem and Valerie had to discuss what spell she’d teach him in honor of his win. He thought that casting illusions would be fun, but technically that hadn’t happened during the battle. In the end, he went with the one spell he’d seen her use, Grassy Terrain. Mortan knew it too, but for these days when the Floette wasn’t around, it’d be useful if he knew it too. Thinking on how the battle went, it might end up being something he would start off with in case he got knocked out quickly, to continue supporting his Pokemon. It seemed like any time he actually got hit, he’d be out of the battle before long. Then should he work on trying to better his defense or continue on with the swiftstep to avoid being hit at all?

Calem thought over that while walking through the Laverre streets. The morning rain had ended, so he could go ahead with his plan to have a picnic lunch with his Pokemon. And since Yorick and Starlet had won even when he’d been defeated, it’d be nice to buy some treats for them in one of the local shops. Would he stay later on? Valerie had mentioned that since the rains would only last in the morning, this might be a good night to hike out to where a group of Clefairies would appear on nights of the full moon to dance. Other Fairy Pokemon might join them and he’d never managed to see it while he’d been working at her Gym. But then again, considering how her dance had affected him, maybe it wasn’t a good idea. The picnic was a good idea because they’d enjoy it and…

His thoughts were immediately disrupted when he spotted Team Flare’s bright red moving through the people ahead of him. It was a man in their signature uniform: ruby-red sunglasses, brightly dyed hairstyle, and all. What were they doing here? Calem started trailing him, pausing by a large sign when the man stopped to talk with some others. He had some pamphlets and a heavy bag over his shoulder, so it might just be one of them out to get new members. But even that was trouble.

“Careful Calem,” a quiet but familiar voice said just behind him.

But there wasn’t anyone behind him… Calem turned and saw that he was standing by a fenced in garden. There wasn’t a human in the garden, but his Phantump was hovering in the air there, looking at him in concern. “Heinrich?” he asked quietly. “You can talk?”

He nodded with the sound of dry wood. “It’s hard to put sounds together, but I remember the words. Didn’t want to speak until I had a better grasp on it.” He floated over to the signpost. “Might be useful to speak to him, but keep your temper. He’s not your target.”

“Right,” Calem said, looking back over to the recruiter. He seemed to be losing the interest of the pair he stopped.

“Relax your body,” Heinrich said. “Don’t give away your alertness to him and don’t try to argue with him here. There are times when this is far more useful than just jumping in.”

He nodded, then smiled at the Phantump. “I know. Time to make up for being an awful teacher?”

He laughed at that, shaking some of his branches. “I’ll be awful if it gets what I want; it worked with you and the other two.”

With the joking around lifting his spirits, Calem stretched his arms and soon had himself relaxed as if this were any other day. He walked over to the Flare recruiter with Heinrich following close by, pausing a few feet away. The recruiter must have seen him, but didn’t speak to him immediately. Because of that, he started the conversation with, “Hey, what’s going on with the costume?”

“It’s no costume,” the recruiter said. If he was insulted by that, he didn’t show it. “It’s the daring and unique style of Team Flare. Got your attention, didn’t it?”

“I guess, but it reminds me a stop sign,” he said, causing Heinrich to snicker. “You’d have to be pretty confident to go out like that.”

That made the recruiter smile. “Well of course, and we have every reason for confidence. Ever worry about the future of the world in the state it’s in? We don’t have to worry, as we’re going to fix things up proper. But it could be dangerous times ahead anyhow. Say boy, how old are you?”

“I’ll be seventeen in a couple of weeks,” he said. Since Serena had taken off to join Flare on her seventeenth birthday, he had a feeling that might be more tempting to the recruiter than simply saying that he was sixteen.

“I was wondering because we have an age limit on joining, but you’re close enough that you might get in,” the recruiter said. “And you really should consider doing so; the next few years are going to get tumultuous, and being with Flare will make sure that you’re safe.”

“Why do you think there’s going to be trouble?” Calem asked, trying to sound innocently curious. “Things are peaceful now; haven’t heard of much trouble being around.”

“We’re in the calm before the storm, so to speak. But the world’s reached a threshold it’s never hit before. There are so many people and Pokemon around that competition is heating up for space and resources. It might not seem so bad here, but we’re in an advanced region where people tend to share. In many other regions of the world, widespread violence comes out every day, in conflicts over resources, land, and ideas. There is not a lot we can do immediately about the last issue, but if we work towards fixing the first two deficiencies, then the last problem will be closer to resolving itself as there’s less triggers for arguments and conflicts.”

“I don’t think there’s that much violence in the world,” Calem said. “You hear about it occasionally, not every day.”

The recruiter shook his head. “You won’t be hearing about all of the conflicts, believe me. A lot of people try covering them up and pretending they don’t exist, since then they don’t have to do anything to help. But we in Team Flare have plans to fix these basic problems before long, thus helping to fix other problems over time.”

“What do you mean to do about such problems, though?” Calem asked. “They’re rather large things to tackle.”

“Doesn’t mean we shouldn’t try. We can’t reveal all of our plans to the general public right away, but if you join us in the next few months, you’ll definitely be hearing about them straight from our leaders. And it’s nothing big to the individual either. We all do our parts, no matter how small, to make a series of events that’s greater than what any one of us does on our own. After all, any problem is solvable when you get smooth teamwork to tackle it, where everyone is cooperating in purpose, spirit, and action. That’s the way to get anything done.”

As much as he didn’t like agreeing with them, he had to admit that this sounded perfectly fine. Teamwork was essential. But, did each of the small parts know what the overall plan would lead to? Serena didn’t know everything and she was supposedly a vital part in awakening the legends. “Well if I don’t know what you’re doing, it’s hard to agree to go along with you,” Calem said.

“We’re fixing global problems, that’s what we’re doing,” the recruiter said, giving him a pamphlet. “There’s still a lot of bad in the world and we’re making it good instead. That has some more information than what I’m allowed to say, you really should read it.”

“I guess, thank you,” Calem said, taking it. He then moved on down the road, towards a large fence that surrounded what seemed to be a factory.

“He seems to believe it,” Heinrich said.

“So did Serena,” Calem said, opening up the pamphlet and skimming through it. It had some short horror piece based on the problem of overpopulation and finding the resources to support everyone, as well as bits against people saying ‘not my problem since it doesn’t affect me’ by aiming to prove that these issues affected everyone. Other paragraphs repeated that Team Flare would make sure its own people were safe and taken care of even with the coming years of turbulence they were predicting. This had been going on for months, but this pamphlet claimed that there would come signs from nature and the gods of the dangers approaching. Flare had Xerneas and Yveltal, though. Did they mean to force the two gods to talk for them? But how?

“Something’s going on back there,” Heinrich said, from past the fence he had drifted through.

“Is there?” Calem asked, turning from the silly pamphlet to the factory behind him. He made sure to refresh his heightened senses and noticed a lot of people there. That wouldn’t be out of the ordinary. “What are you sensing?”

“Tension, aggression, fear,” the Phantump said. “While we’ve not been around this factory much, that doesn’t seem normal for any factory.”

“You’re right about that,” he said, trying to find those feelings. Before then, he noticed an unremarkable white truck lumbering down the road towards the gate. It looked normal, but Calem saw the red sunglasses on the driver and passenger as they came by. “They are up to something. Should we go in and take a look?”

“Do you feel confident in your stealth?” he asked, moving forward. Calem glanced around, making sure no one was paying particular attention to him. Then he activated the cowl and warped past the fence, sneaking around with Heinrich in the shadows.

Using swiftstep through a wall was something he hadn’t tried, although he had passed trees in that manner. The walls of this factory were thick, not easy to sense through. Eventually, he found some vents that one could peek into the main building through. That was easier to sense past and send a warp target through, so they entered there. Inside, it was strangely quiet. There were a lot of massive machines, some like huge bins and others holding lots of precision arms for the process of manufacturing. But whatever they made, there wasn’t a lot around. He did spot a defect bin, where he discovered a collection of problematic Pokeballs.

There was a group by one of the doors, their conversation hard to hear over this distance even with enhanced hearing. Calem warped over and ducked behind some conveyor belt machinery to listen in; Heinrich followed after, but sneaked to another location for a different view. In the group, he noticed a few people in work clothes, including one who seemed to be a supervisor over the rest. They were talking to three of the Team Flare scientists, including the pair he ran into in Winding Woods and the one he’d seen with Mabel and Lysandre when Serena died. A flicker of anger came to his mind on recognizing her, but he tried to clamp down on it and listen.

“Good, you’ve finally gotten a suitable amount for us,” the red-haired scientist said. “But with the margin of error on your products, this may not be the last time we need to get your assistance.”

“Are you going to let the workers go now?” the supervisor asked, nervous and ashamed.

“Sure, since you’ve finally come around to seeing the advantages to working with us instead of overcharging,” she said. “And you will cut costs for us again if we return?”

“You didn’t give us anything for our entire stock,” the supervisor said, like he could be outraged by this implied theft but something made him afraid of these women.

“We didn’t hurt anyone,” the scientist said in an unnecessarily harsh tone. “That could still change.”

“At-cost, possibly,” the supervisor said. “Okay, it will be at cost and we’ll make sure to reserve at least one crate in case your group comes back.”

“It had better be a fair price when the future of the world is at stake,” she said, then departed.

“What about our workers?” the supervisor said.

“The guys watching over them will be last to leave,” she said, just before leaving the building.

Heinrich appeared by Calem’s side. “Not sure if there’s anything we could do. If we came earlier, we might have intervened.”

He didn’t like it, but nodded and held a hand up to wait. After making sure that the factory workers were released unharmed, Calem decided to leave the building and grounds before he was spotted. Back in Laverre, he told his great-grandfather, “It’s terrible that we were too late, but it seems they took the factory’s entire supply of Pokeballs by holding the workers hostage.”

“Right, but why?” That puzzled him.

“I’m not sure either.” And since he’d seen the end of it, what did he do about knowing it?

_I ended up telling Professor Sycamore, since that made most sense to me. The Pokeball Factory in Laverre adamantly denied that the hostage situation and theft had occurred, even when Sycamore asked directly about it. Team Flare still had something over them to keep them quiet, even now. However, news did get out about a Pokeball shortage in Kalos and surrounding regions for that summer, and part of that autumn. Official word said that it was a major problem forcing them to recycle their entire stock._

_And I could have guessed what they wanted all those Pokeballs for, since I already knew it. It would be a while before I finally made that connection._


	27. Earth Melody

_One of the harder proofs for me to get was Korrina’s as my fourth. I could do the challenge, which for her required running an obstacle course on skates where passing some obstacles required spellwork. Much like my test for entering the Battle Club, the mechanisms would open upon being hit by a particular kind of spell. But battling her was a different story. I was allowed one of my Pokemon to take down her and three of her Pokémon._

_The first time I challenged her, I brought Percival. He knew Aerial Ace, among other skills that would come in handy when they wouldn’t be able to touch him with moves with a Fight aura. But, that wasn’t enough when Korrina could get by that and take him down herself. That attempt failed. The second time, I briefly considered Starlet, but ending up trying Nibbles. That was a mistake that cost that match as her second Pokemon turned out to be a Hawlucha. Thus, on my third attempt, I brought Starlet._

“Let’s rumble!” Korrina called in glee, starting the battle.

Before they had even started the obstacle course, Calem had told Starlet what to do. Time was of the essence here and he had to quickly hit Korrina with Confuse Ray in an attempt to keep her from casting her anti-teleport curse. If that got put down, he was more or less out of the battle in seconds. The leader got hit with his curse in time, giving them some room to work with in this attempt.

Meanwhile, Starlet had body slammed the Mienfoo that Korrina started with, her aura sparkling with bright pink. That knocked the Mienfoo out. Giving up on casting for the moment, the leader brought out her Hawlucha. She pointed towards Calem before slipping on her skates. That put some damage to her spirit orb; very little damage, but his current strategy was on taking out the Pokemon before Korrina fully recovered from the confusion. He set up Grassy Terrain before warping out of the Hawlucha’s jumping attack, causing it to crash into the wall of this lower skate arena. Starlet pursued the colorful bird with the same attack as before, causing feathers to fly in result.

Korrina wasn’t doing anything to contribute to the battle now, just trying to break from her confusion state as she released her final Pokemon without even checking if the Hawlucha was down fully. It was a Machoke, giving Calem a slight feeling of relief. It could have been one of her Lucario, which would have been a lot harder to take down. Still, the Machoke line had quite a variety of moves from what he recalled, so it might have something to deal with a Mawile.

Calem warped back by Starlet and the Hawlucha. Meanwhile, the Machoke was waiting a moment; he was eager to jump into the battle, but mindful enough of gym rules to wait until it was properly his turn. Calem used Shock Wave to take down the Hawlucha, since it was hanging on in a slight daze. “Keep it up,” he told Starlet, then warped away to force the Machoke to pick a direction to go in taking on two targets.

Unfortunately, Korrina recovered. Calem briefly considered confusing her again, but decided to use flash instead, messing up her and her Machoke’s accuracy with the bright light. The Machoke went after him, so he warped so he was just out of the path between the burly Pokemon and Starlet. As it worked to change directions, the Mawile met with it at full force, causing the two to brawl it out. Confident in her, Calem focused his attention to Korrina and keeping her busy.

She apparently decided to give up on pinning him down for the moment and dashed after him, building up some kind of Fight energy. Calem warped a few feet back, then angled his path towards the wall. When he moved further away hoping to use her momentum against her, Korrina made a sharp turn on her skates and had to spend a second relocating him. He could attack, but felt it was better to keep moving with this chase until Starlet was free to join him. Since Korrina seemed to be trying to use a physical move with aura energy, she would have to make contact.

Korrina then swapped the gathered energy over to Dark type and cast the anti-teleport spell aimed directly at him. Well that was out, making it down to how well he could skate now. As she rushed right for him, Calem took off quickly on his skates while preparing Shock Wave. Before she could reach him, Starlet careened into Korrina. The Mawile had been using her Play Rough enchantment exclusively, but that was because it was working great here. While Korrina worked to get her balance back before she slipped again, Calem released Shock Wave to strike her.

That demolished the spirit orb she had. Calem immediately felt his ancestor’s urging to keep the battle going. But he was expecting it this time, thus it was weaker than when he’d faced Valerie. Ignoring the words in his head entirely, he said, “Good going, Starlet! We finally got her.”

“Yeah, that was awesome!” Korrina said, making a sign of approval with her hands. “Nice seeing you finally pull it off; I knew that warping was one of your top advantages, but so are your Pokemon.”

“Right, we know each other enough that I didn’t have to lead her,” he said, skating over. Starlet was smiling proudly, which she had every right to be having taken on the Fighting Pokemon at their own game in physical combat.

Korrina twirled a hand around and made the pin appear to hand over to him. “And now you have half of Kalos’ proofs! Excellent job; I’m proud of you. But you still have a lot of work ahead of you taking on the other half.”

“I’m sure of that,” Calem said. The first half was something that a student in his school should be able to pass just fine. Past that, it would take more skill. He hoped he had it; he was counting on it.

She passed the pin over, then said, “Want to learn one of my spells from any of our matches? Course, I’m almost sure of what you’d ask for.”

“The anti-teleport curse?” he said, grinning. “That’s really going to help me the most.”

Snapping her fingers, she said, “I knew it! Sure; I used Mean Look this time, but since you’re my apprentice, I’ll go ahead and teach you the field version as well. Only humans can cast that one, although some Pokemon can mimic it in abilities.”

For this summer, he was still working with Korrina and her grandfather, but not as often as last summer. He had the rest of the day off, although not entirely free. On leaving the gym, he found his three friends waiting on him. “How’d it go this time?” Shauna asked, waving him to come over and join them.

“Got it this time!” he replied, jogging over to them.

“Woo, I knew you could do it!” she shouted, jumping in place.

“Really wish we could’ve seen that match,” Tierno said. “Did she get video of it?”

“More than likely, since all the matches are recorded,” Calem said. “Most matches get deleted since they’re not of interest to many, though it should be available for a few days.”

“Maybe if we’re lucky, she’ll have it as a featured match on her gym’s webpage,” Trevor said. “But it shouldn’t be hard to find there even if not.”

“It’d be unusual, but maybe,” Calem said.

“So did you decide on what to do today?” Shauna asked.

They had decided to meet up for his birthday, so he got to decide what they would do. Knowing the others were interested in a particular event (and being interested himself), he said, “Yeah, let’s go check out the festival at the Gogoat ranch. That should be fun.”

“All right!” Shauna said, happy that they were going with that.

Just outside of Shalour, there was a river mouth that often ran deep, save for occasional very low tides. It usually required a short swim or small boat to cross safely, to the point where someone at the edge of town ran a successful ferry service with a couple of Lapras. But due to the celebration at the Gogoat ranch, there was a temporary floating bridge set up with some crate panels. The ranch itself wasn’t far from the river, on a raised portion of land where there was lots of grassy smooth plain for the Pokemon to graze and relax.

Today was a festival that was mostly to promote the ranch’s business, like the goods they made with the Gogoat’s milk and fur. Or how they trained the taxi Gogoats in Lumiose, sending some of their most prized Pokemon there to be admired. It was a fun event, with games, booths, a race track, and even a riding trail, all made with the Skiddo and Gogoats in mind. The ranch Pokemon were friendly too, not minding the many people walking around their home nor the other Pokemon following Trainers about.

After having lunch there (including a small cake that his mother had sent along with Shauna), they paid the small fee to take some of the Gogoats out on the hiking trail. It was a nice ride with fun conversations, but then something out of the ordinary happened. AZ appeared at the edge of the trail. As he waved, Calem got the Gogoats to slow down by gently tugging the horns on his. “Hey, Jack! Good to see you!”

“Yeah, it’s been a really long time!” Shauna said. “You weren’t at the house when I last went there.”

“Hello,” he said, smiling. “I’m not living there right now. They’ll be expecting you back, right? I happened to hear you as I was passing through; could you meet me down the road, where it turns away from the river? There’s something I’d like to talk with you all about.”

“Sure, we can be there in a few minutes,” Calem said, wondering if he meant to tell them about who he was. Or if he’d gotten in contact with Zygarde.

“Yeah, we’ll be there,” Trevor said. “Great to see you again.”

After returning the Gogoats to their handler, the four of them left the festivities and went down the road. There was a huge tree at the corner of the road, enough that AZ managed to sit by it and some bushes to go unnoticed by others on the road. But they found him there, and sat with him to talk. Mortan was there too. “Chiirro!” he called cheerfully, soon echoed by Trevor’s Flabebe Coco. She started teasing him, so he hid on AZ’s shoulder.

“What’re you doing with Mortan?” Tierno asked.

“I haven’t told them about the two of you yet,” Calem said.

“Huh, what about them?” Shauna asked before AZ could start talking. She leaned forward in interest.

“He was a Pokemon I knew long ago, my dearest friend,” AZ said as Mortan crept to his other shoulder, trying to avoid Coco. “Although I knew him as Luken. You see, I’m AZ, who you might know as the wandering king.”

“What?” the other three asked in amazed shock. So they had to explain about it to them.

“Calem figured it out with his Asari powers,” AZ finished off with. “And I knew another Asari many years ago, so I’ve been able to help him fight his curse. At the moment, I’m working on another problem. You must have heard that two gods of our land have gone missing in the presence of Team Flare. Do you know about the god Zygarde?”

“Enough to know that there isn’t a lot of information on him,” Teirno said. “He rules the land and isn’t seen often.”

“There’s a few stories that his memory extends into the future,” Trevor said. “And that he keeps watch over the balances in the world, trying to correct any imbalances. From Serena’s writings, we know that Lysandre is using Zygarde as an excuse for his actions, claiming that he’s trying to appease Zygarde before the dragon god does something drastic.”

AZ nodded. “Right, so I’ve been meaning to speak to Zygarde in person. He’s usually underground, and I have my own reasons for avoiding Flare. But today, I managed to locate where Zygarde is above ground. He’s not too far from here, actually. I was going on my own with Lukan and my other Pokemon, but then I heard you four and felt there might be a reason for you all to be here when I happen to find Zygarde. Would you like to come along with me?”

On hearing that, Calem immediately wondered why Zygarde had come aboveground when the other two gods had gone missing. “We’re here because I’m training at the Tower of Mastery and we wanted to get together today, basically.”

“But we did happen to come across you today, so it might be more than coincidence,” Shauna said. “That’s be cool to meet with Zygarde. What do you guys think?”

“I’m interested in hearing what he has to say,” Calem said.

“Right, with all that’s going on, he might know something to help us out,” Trevor said.

“Sure, it’s not like you get this kind of chance any day,” Tierno said.

AZ nodded and got up. “Good. We need to head out into the sea, but it won’t be far.”

“How’re we getting over the water?” Trevor asked.

“Don’t worry, I’ve got that covered,” he said, leading the way down the road.

Just outside of the Coumarine port, AZ brought out what seemed to be a small toy boat carved out of a piece of wood, with a little scrap fabric sail. He mumbled for a moment, something about hoping the enchantment would work one last time, then tossed the boat onto the water with an activation spell. It turned into a full sized sailboat, still with a spotted blue sail and carved wood appearance. Since it was large enough to handle AZ easily, there was no trouble having four extra passengers as long as they kept their larger Pokemon in their Pokeballs. AZ sent them into the northern sea with a wind spell of his own, but the natural wind quickly picked them up and helped them along.

There were a number of sandbars and small islands scattered off the coast. On the way to their destination, AZ pointed out one island larger than the rest. It was like a large rock was rising out of the water, surrounded by a rocky sand beach. It seemed like it might be a cave from some shadows. “That place is special too. On occasion, some rare bird Pokemon come through Kalos and always nest in this area. They’re of legendary status because they’re hardly ever seen by humans. They don’t speak, but they seem to me like they could be more intelligent than us.”

“Wow, what kind of Pokemon are they?” Trevor asked, fascinated.

“There’s a few different ones, but they seem related,” AZ said. “Articuno, Zapdos, and Moltres are the ones I’ve run into at various times, but I’ve heard that some other rarities have been seen around this part of the sea as well. Even I’m not sure what makes this place special to them, whether it was something innate about it or if it became special because legends and gods would meet here.”

That made Shauna laugh. “Well we’ve got a legend and a god meeting here today too, because of you and Zygarde!” It embarrassed AZ a little, but he was smiling a lot today. Calem had the feeling that if anyone saw him like this, they wouldn’t need powers like his to suspect that there was more to him than his vagabond appearance would tell.

They sailed to another large rocky island, although this one seemed too uneven to have a large cave like the other might. As they got closer, they could hear something in the air. It was hard to distinguish at first, but on approaching a patch of sand that looked safe, the sound turned out to be music. The voice was deep and powerful, making Calem wonder if this was how opera singers sounded. The further they got down the sandy path, the clearer it became and the more the sound waves vibrated within them.

On an incline and surrounded by tall jagged rocks, they found the singer: it was Zygarde himself. He was holding himself up tall, his body flat where it lay on the ground. His vibrant green scales blended in with the lush grasses on this island, although a spread of black frills around his neck would make him stand out in the daytime like this. While the song he sang was something they couldn’t understand (although it seemed like it should be understood by someone), it carried emotions that could be understood: a loneliness as if someone important wasn’t showing up when they should, an anxiety at knowing something bad could happen soon, an encouragement to the self that one should keep moving ahead in the hope that something good would also come. Calem had a feeling that even if Zygarde departed after his song, they had still learned something valuable in that alone.

But Zygarde stayed once he was done with the song, looking down at them in the moment of silence after his breathtaking performance. Shauna was the first to break it by saying, “Wow, that was amazing. I didn’t know what you were singing, but it nearly made me cry.”

“Aw shucks, thank you for your compliment,” Zygarde said, shifting himself backwards so he could lower his head to AZ’s level at least. “This is not the time for it, but I have dreamed of being in concert to sing. It would shock many.” He sounded pleased at that idea. “You came for reasons other than song.”

“Yes, Zygarde, it’s about Xerneas and Yveltal,” AZ said. “They’ve been captured by those who seem to be planning to repeat a disaster. I’ve been trying to locate them, and I believe these young people can help as well. Do you know of anything to help us?”

Zygarde’s collar of frills shifted like a wave. “Repeat a disaster? No, no, that’s not what I sense. If it repeats, it’s because what they mean to do has fallen through. But what they mean to do...” he grumbled for a moment, then added, “I would like to remain a mystery, an enigma that humans won’t touch because they can’t understand. It allows me to do my work untroubled. But someone thinks he’s found the enigma’s solution. Might be right, might be wrong, but the zealousness fueled by that solution is a danger to more than just my pride. So for this once, for all of you… the music of your auras please me, so I will be clear with you. Just this once.”

That surprised even AZ. “Thank you, we appreciate that.”

“We’ll do what we can to help you, and Kalos,” Calem said, getting nods of agreement from his friends.

“Beautiful, maybe I can have a concert one day,” Zygarde said, his black eyes twinkling. “In the past year, seven miracles have spread through Kalos. Do you know of them?”

“Seven miracles?” AZ asked, unsure.

“Oh yeah, Serena got seven miracle flowers when she awoke Xerneas,” Trevor said, bringing a hand up. “One of them changed an aura instability I had into an instability that makes flowers appear any time I use magic.”

Tierno nodded. “Right, and I used one to wake her father from a coma.”

“I still have the one she gave me,” Shauna said, touching the pin where she kept it on her shirt. “And I’m pretty sure that Serena was buried with one of them; it was still on her headband at the funeral.”

“I used one to turn my great-grandfather’s spirit into a Phantump,” Calem said. “And, I saw the petals spread from another one in the cave where… they awakened Yveltal with it, I’m sure.”

“That’s six, so what happened to the seventh?” AZ asked.

The four of them looked at each other. “I’m not sure,” Shauna said.

“Think about it,” Zygarde said.

As much as he didn’t like to, Calem tried to recall that terrible night. That told him what might have happened to it. “I… I was shown her death and she was wearing three of the flowers when she took one to awaken Yveltal. And then when I saw her in person a short time later, there were the petals from the one and one left on her hairband. So Lysandre or one of the Flare scientists has it now if I remember that right.”

“That’s right,” Zygarde said. “Two have yet to produce miracles.”

“Don’t you mean three?” Trevor asked.

“I mean two. One miracle won’t show its results for a while. With two unused flowers moving around Kalos, it’s unclear what will happen in the near future. And because of those miracle flowers, I’m now fated to cross paths with Flare. I can deny any appointments I sense; I could have denied this one with you, but I believe it will help greatly. But this one with Flare, I can delay it for a time but it must happen at this point. That is why I think, even as they work to make your dangerous flower bloom again, it won’t be the same as last time.”

“Are they planning to use you with that machine?” Tierno asked.

Zygarde nodded. “That’s what their movements tell me. As my rule is not of life or death, it will be harder to describe but still devastating. We can delay it as hard as we can, but the miracle flowers make extraordinary things happen no matter how careful we act. The best method for preventing this now would be to take control of all three remaining miracles and then stopping them. So miss, be sure to not lose the one you have.”

“Right, I’ll be careful,” Shauna said. “But which one has been used? It’ll be hard to get one from Lysandre, and I don’t know how Serena’s parents will react if we ask to get that flower back.”

“You should check on her regardless, with or without their agreement,” Zygarde said. “By the golden light of the moon, I have seen something coming that has never been seen before, coming from another mortal attempt to tame the power of the gods. The tiny one with us won’t be the only one with a black flower on that night and the city known for the brilliance of its lights will be filled with darkness. But that’s the future, so there is not much certain beyond that.” Mortan murmured something, but he was perched on AZ’s shoulder so Calem couldn’t hear what.

“Should we be trying to get the one Lysandre has or attempt to get it to trigger on something else?” AZ asked. “I know they’re unpredictable, yet they do take a form suggested by the intent of their holder.”

“I suppose you could destroy the key you hold and see if they use the flower to get access to the machine,” Zygarde said. “Then again, they may have a way to circumvent the locks placed by you. They’ve already broken the ones set by your brother. But like you said, intent is important and his intent speaks strongly to me. You should hang onto the key in case you need to retake control of it, that’s what I think. And you, young Asari.”

“What about me?” Calem asked.

“I believe your plans have merit, but you had best get them together before your last year of school. Or better yet, before the night of the golden moon and the black flowers. All of you will be tested to your limits on that night.”

“Do you meant the harvest moon?” Trevor asked. “That’s in September this year, I believe.”

“This year?” Zygarde tilted his head. “The moon is right for my vision, but I don’t believe the sun is. The flowers don’t speak of it coming so soon either; neither does a friend of mine. While the night of darkness may yet be prevented if you can claim the remaining miracles, that appointment of fate is still quite strong.”

“Well part of my plans include finding Xerneas and Yveltal, hopefully to free them,” Calem said. “How can we find them?”

“Your powers, sensitive though they may be, may not be enough. In that case, you must observe what you can sense. Life and death go on regardless of their presence or absence, but they don’t go on smoothly. Or even logically in some cases. Listen to what the flowers have to say, of where the forces of life are strongest. Search for unnatural patterns, in troublesome births and restless spirits. The powers of Xerneas and Yveltal once spread throughout our homeland and are now concentrated to small points. Where those powers are weak and where they are strong, that is how you can find them.”

“What are you planning to do?” AZ asked, looking down at Calem.

“Become the Magic Champion of Kalos,” he said. “It’s a hard challenge especially since I haven’t finished at school yet, but I hope it proves to my ancestors that I can use their powers without killing. And having that position should give me respect even in Team Flare, so I should be able to confront them more effectively.”

And taking into account what Zygarde was saying, he’d need to win the title before fall of next year. It was sooner than he was planning, meaning he’d have to challenge gyms through his sixth year rather than waiting for the next summer. But if that’s what it would take, he’d do what was needed.

* * *

The day after they met Zygarde, Calem met up with his friends at a cemetery off Route 7. It was the first time he’d visited Serena’s grave, but the other three knew where it was. She hadn’t been buried like the others here, as she’d been placed in her family’s crypt. In the center of the cemetery, the crypt was a solemn and elegant building, small with a few underground levels. It was even smaller inside, as the recently passed away were kept in the walls of the single room on ground level. In the back, stairs and portraits led the way to others.

As it turned out, they weren’t the only visitors there. Richard and Grace were there when they walked in, talking quietly with each other. “Oh sorry, do you want us to come back later?” Shauna asked from the doorway.

“No, it’s fine,” Richard said.

Grace nodded. “Right, you’re her friends. What brings you out here?”

“I haven’t been out here yet,” Calem said, coming over with some flowers they had brought to leave here. It felt strange to be checking on this when her parents were here, but if something wasn’t right, they had a right to know too. “I should have, but school kept me busy…” he thought about saying something more, but then the problem got his attention.

“Well it’s not easy to come out here either,” Trevor said. The place certainly dampened their spirits. “But we all miss her, and think about her a lot.”

“She’s not here,” Calem said, putting his hand with the bouquet against the concrete wall where she should have been. The others looked at him in bewilderment, but he was focused on trying to sense something in the crypt. He could find coffins and bodies in the other, but not in the one labeled with Serena’s name. “You said she was buried with the miracle flower, but it’s not here either. I don’t think there’s even a coffin in there anymore.”

“The crypt hasn’t been disturbed,” Grace said. “At least, I don’t think it has.”

“But Calem would be able to sense her if she was here,” Shauna said.

Richard scratched his head, then sighed with reluctance. “Well… I’ve heard of that. Wait a moment, we can check.” He went to an iron box set in the wall by the stairs and, after using magic to prove that he was part of the family, opened it up to take out a key. On the wall, he uncovered a lock that allowed him to remove the cover to the crypt’s slot.

As Calem had told him, it was completely empty.

_Her parents called the police immediately on the grave robbery, but it would be some time before this mystery was solved. I felt terrible for Grace and Richard, having their daughter taken from them even after death. But I knew my time limit then and had to focus on my goals, now including finding the other two miracle flowers in hopes to slow Flare’s progress down._


	28. The Hidden Village

_In the last weeks of that summer, I had my final choice in which order to take the Gyms in. Cyllage had a Rock Gym, which was one of the two where my aura quirks gave me an advantage in typing. Because of that, I decided to take on the Ice Gym in Snowbelle first. Better to take that advantage in a higher challenge. But first I had to make a reservation for the match with Wulfric and he was the last of the Kalos Gym Leaders to add a reservation request to his gym’s webpage. I had trouble getting through on the phone as well, so on a day I had free, I headed down to Snowbelle to make the reservation in person._

While he’d been here before during the summer, it was still impressive to come into Snowbelle and find the gym iced over. The grounds around the building were vibrant with green grass, probably from the moisture coming from the slow continual melt off. Calem glanced around town, looking for places he could visit after he’d finished his business. In one corner of town on a raised road, there seemed to be an area where local Trainers were facing off. That could be good.

He came down the last set of steps heading towards the gym in the lowest part of Snowbelle, but things didn’t seem right. The windows on the gym were dark; it was the middle of the day and they weren’t easy to see through, but one would think there’d be some indication of Pokemon battles inside. There weren’t any humans out in this area either. Instead, there was a single Pokemon and not one of an Ice aura. A Furfrou with a bag slung over its neck was pawing at the door, whining in brief spurts.

“Huh, should we ask what’s up?” Mortan asked, having joined him for the day. Heinrich was floating around too; they had taken to talking with each other in part to have the latter smooth out his reacquired speech.

“Yeah, I think so,” Calem said, going over. “Hey Furfrou. Trying to find Wulfric too?”

The Furfrou perked up his ears immediately, backing up to look at him. After an enthusiastic bark, he bounded over and started licking Calem’s face. “Seems this fellow knows you,” Heinrich said.

Calem laughed, petting the Furfrou and looking at his eyes. “Really? Hey wait, are you the one I caught outside Parfum Palace?”

“Oauf!” The Furfrou nuzzled against his neck, so Calem didn’t need that translated.

“Wow, it’s been a long time since I’ve seen you,” he said, hugging the Pokemon. “But what are you doing here?” Last he knew, the Furfrou had been with Serena. Then again, he hadn’t seen her use him in the past year.

Backing up, the Furfrou pulled a piece of paper out of its bag, being careful not to damage it too much. As Calem took the paper, Mortan said, “Seems he came for Wulfric, but if you would help, he needs the help quickly.”

“This is written in Unown text, but Gran taught me to interpret it. I mean, Beatrice did,” he added the last part for Heinrich mostly. But who’d be sending a message with that alphabet?

Whoever it was seemed to be in trouble. Translated, it said, ‘The ones who captured Xerneas are in the village looking for the guardian and trying to capture the Pokemon. They are disturbing our peace but they might do much worse. I do not wish to confront them and confirm what they suspect. Please we beg for your assistance.’

“Team Flare’s causing trouble here again?” Calem said.

The Furfrou barked and growled. “Not here, but there’s a village of Pokemon past the Winding Woods,” Mortan said. “They don’t call attention to themselves, but he trusts you and Wulfric would know what the message means. Yveltal and I have met with the Pokemon who founded and guards the village. Believe me, we don’t want them to capture the village guardian too.”

“I could help, but it’s a risk,” Calem said, wanting to but not wanting the hurt innocent Pokemon if things got out of control. “But if Wulfric’s not here, we’d have to find him.”

“How about you let Mortan and I find him?” Heinrich said. “Between our powers and passing through the realm of spirits, it shouldn’t take long. Have this Furfrou take you to the Pokemon village to give them trouble until Wulfric can intervene.”

“None of us have a direct bond with him, but knowing he’s a master of Ice magic and connected to this building,” Mortan mused on that for a second. “Sure, we can get the message to him.”

Calem nodded and handed Heinrich the paper; he’d have an easier time keeping hold of it with his roots. “Good, then I’ll see about keeping them busy. Don’t worry, I can handle this.”

“We know,” Heinrich said, moving over to Mortan to discuss with him about finding Wulfric.

“Let me get my skates on so we can get over there quickly,” Calem said, taking them out of his bag and clipping them onto his shoes. The Furfrou wagged his tail, then bounded off towards the entrance of the woods with Calem following. Before long, his other Pokemon came out of their Pokeballs and hurried along as well.

The enchantments on the woods were a great deal weaker than they’d been last time he’d been in here. It was like passing through an ordinary forest, with only the occasional twists in the paths remaining to disorient them. However, the Furfrou knew exactly where to run. It was rough grounds to skate over, but this was an emergency.

After what seemed like two miles through the forest, Calem, his remaining Pokemon, and the Furfrou emerged in a vast field of flowers. At the east side of the field, a tall hill with a waterfall spilling down helped to hide this place. There were signs of many burrows where Pokemon lived, along with some primitive structures of large branches, woven leaves, and simple ropes. A few human things were scattered about, like plastic trash bins, an old picnic table, some toys, and even a rusted out metal barrel with a nest built in it. Near the entrance, there was a sign that had a picture of a Pokeball with a red X through it. Along the edges of the forest, there were a great many berry bushes; trees close by also bore bountiful nuts, still ripening in place. This place looked like a Pokemon paradise.

Except for the Team Flare members there disrupting the peace. Calem could feel traces of fear all around the village, even back in the forest where the Pokemon residents were trying to hide. There were seven Flare members here, including one of the scientists. She was over with three others at the hill, working with explosives (the machinery they were working with felt like it held that kind of danger to him). Closer to the entrance, three others were working together to battle Pokemon who couldn’t hide: a pair of Snorlax that were close to exhaustion from a long battle. Flare had already captured a few Pokemon but weren’t having an easy time with the two Snorlax, as evidenced by the broken Pokeballs on the ground.

Calem skated through the flowers to get to the two Snorlax. “Hey, why are you bothering these Pokemon?” he asked, casting a healing spell over the weaker of the two Snorlax. It wouldn’t do much for their dwindling energy, but it might help them escape if they wished.

“We’re capturing them, what does it look like?” one of the three said.

“Yeah, that’s no crime,” another said, causing the Furfrou to growl.

“Didn’t you see the sign there?” Calem asked, healing the other Snorlax. “No Pokeballs here. If they want to be left alone, leave them alone.”

“That’s nonsense,” the third said. “Nobody lives here and the Pokemon don’t make the rules.”

“The Pokemon live here and they can make the rules if they want,” he said.

“Look, you’re getting in the way and if you don’t buzz off, we’ll drive you back home crying,” one of them said, causing Yorick to cackle.

“Or do you think you can take us on?”

Calem nodded as Swift croaked a warning. “Yeah, we’ll put a stop to this.” And the Flare grunts weren’t as good as they thought. They had more Pokemon than he had at the moment, but that was combined. His Pokemon were able to handle theirs easily; even the Furfrou managed to contribute.

By the time that all three of them were defeated, the Flare scientist came over to observe through her silver visor. A red glow moved about rapidly over it, changing patterns to whatever she silently asked it to do. “Well now, can’t handle a disturbance?” she asked the three disapprovingly.

“Ah, Aliana, s-sorry!” one of them stammered.

“We don’t mean to be a disgrace, but his Pokemon are tough,” a second said, backing up from where he was. However, he nearly ran into one of the Snorlax now blocking his path. The Snorlax smiled in a menacing way.

“Yeah, be glad that you weren’t stupid enough to challenge him yourself,” Aliana said, to everyone’s surprise. She turned to Calem, her eyebrows giving her a harsh expression. “You’re that Asari boy that Mabel’s been talking about; you could have killed the lot of us in half the time it took you in those battles.”

“You’re lucky that I’m not interested in killing,” Calem said. “But I won’t stand for disrupting Pokemon and trying to blow up a hill they live on.”

“I can’t imagine what this has to do with you,” Aliana said. “But you do know that you’re only where you are by the graces of our leader, right? We can really wreck your potential if you decide to mess with us.”

He shook his head. “That doesn’t bother me. What does bother me is that you steal a whole factory worth of Pokeballs and go after Pokemon who’ve decided that they want to live free, among other injustices you’ve been making.” There was that temptation to let his rage overtake him and punish her for letting Serena get murdered. But the presence of his Pokemon and the others kept that temptation in check.

“That’s quite a bold accusation,” she said. In her aura, there was an undercurrent of fear. She knew what he was capable of. Yet she was deliberately trying to provoke him, with a greed that overcame her fear. Maybe they had found the way Heinrich had been controlled by his military commanders. “But I don’t think either will hold water. The Pokeball Company is working with us and there’s no laws against capturing Pokemon. And we do have need for a lot of Pokemon, preferably those of a strong life force. But that’s probably beyond your naïve sense of social justice.”

A lot of Pokemon, of a strong life force. The way she said it finally made the points click. “W-wait, you’re capturing Pokemon to sacrifice to AZ’s machine? That’s insane!”

“I didn’t say that,” Aliana said, but she had a self-satisfied smirk trying to make its way out.

“But your intent is clear.” Calem wanted to say that, but someone else did. The voice seemed to come out of thin air, even causing the air to darken with the discontent of the speaker. “In that case, I can’t allow you to leave with them!” A beam of energy blasted through air, exploding to send its waves at the Flare members. The spell missed Calem and the Pokemon there entirely, intentionally.

Unintentionally, it missed Aliana as her visor allowed her to block the spell even as quickly as it had come. And it might have missed Calem, but the wake of it caused his body to shiver as if he’d come across something disturbing. “Hah, so you showed yourself!” Aliana said in a mad glee as she released a Mightyena. “We could’ve have passed on the rest, but you Mewtwo, you’re a different story.”

“Stop her!” Calem commanded to his Pokemon. A shruikan made of water quickly passed by him, Swift immediately hurling it at Aliana. Calem skated back, figuring he’d be best off taking up a healing role. Seconds later, the other three Flare members rushed over to help their commander, releasing their own Pokemon into the chaos.

There was a growl close by Calem before an attack like before went flying at Aliana. It was also blocked. However, now he could see who had initiated the battle: a Pokemon like none he’d seen before. Mewtwo’s aura indicated that he was currently mega evolved in order to take on this threat. He floated in the air, about the size of a human child but almost feline in his features, like the shape of his nose and the long tail swishing angrily behind him. Some kind of circular antenna came off his ears and even without evidence in the spells, Calem could tell this was a Pokemon of extraordinary power. Maybe even on the level of gods.

After missing, Mewtwo hurled his next spell at the approaching group, cutting them down. “That device of hers might let her block anything,” he said.

Her visor. “I might be able to help,” Calem said, summoning his dagger. Some of the electronics in the device were in the visor, but its power and other parts were in a separate box. He could damage the box, or possibly cut the wire. However, the visor might also be able to track his movements.

The Pokemon guardian raised one of his paws towards Aliana and from that, he knew Mewtwo would work with him. As the Pokemon cast a spell aimed at her, Calem used his swiftstep to get behind her and his awareness to cut through the wire and damage the visor’s battery without his dagger cutting anything more than some of her hair. He warped back to his former spot before she could spin around and slug him. Cursing him, Aliana tore off the visor and brought up her shield immediately. It caught Nibbles trying to knock her over.

But that broke it and gave them enough time for the guardian to strike her down as well. They had won. In that moment, Calem felt something strangely familiar from Mewtwo. He was trembling in fury, as well as a fierce divide between a desire to kill and to not kill. Did he have some condition like his own?

“They’re defeated,” Calem said, trying to be calm himself. “They might be terrible, but not worth killing.”

The guardian growled softly. At that, a Gothorita emerged from the flowers. Around her neck, there was a charm necklace that seemed a lot like the mega ring. “Iiirr sii ora tho,” she said, trying to be soothing.

“You’re both right,” Mewtwo said, letting a glow surround him. When he emerged, he was as tall as Calem but with the same general look as before. “And you speak that knowingly. Fine.” He looked at his partner. “You and the others should make sure those humans are asleep and their memories are fuzzy.” Then he summoned a handheld device and offered it to Calem. “And would you release the ones they captured today? I’ll take care of their bomb.”

“Sure,” he said, taking the offer. It wasn’t hard to figure out. Placing the Pokeballs in the holder would identify the Pokemon, the Trainer who caught it, the date, and other information. One of the options was to release the Pokemon, which required a confirmation to prevent accidents. The Flare members did have their own Pokemon too, like Aliana’s Mightyena. Briefly, he considered releasing all of their Pokemon. But the ones they had from before today might be attached to them, ignorant of what their Trainers were doing. He let those be.

It took longer for him to search through the Pokeballs there than for the guardian Pokemon to disarm the bomb. Mewtwo went around and spoke to some of the other Pokemon before coming over to him. “I meant to get an ally who knows about us, but this seems to have worked out. Thank you.”

“It’s all right, I couldn’t ignore the request for help,” Calem said, moving a few failed Pokeballs into the empty pile. “I had a pair of my Pokemon get the message to Wulfric, as he wasn’t at his gym.”

“I hope he’s well,” the Pokemon said, sitting down nearby. The Gothorita with the mega charm soon joined them. “He helps to divert attention from this village. It’s for Pokemon who’ve run away from their Trainers for one reason or another. Doesn’t matter why; I watch over them and make sure they’re safe. This was more trouble than usual since they came for me specifically. I’m called Mewtwo.”

The name didn’t sound familiar, but he nodded. “I see. I’m Calem and I was trying to reach Wulfric too. But on hearing this was Team Flare, I had to come. They’ve been doing dangerous things, including capturing Xerneas and Yveltal, so I’ve been doing what I can against them when I get the chance.”

“The gods of this land have been good to me,” Mewtwo said. “I was created to kill during the Great War, but I’ve been trying to get out of that in the years since. At one point, I thought no one would let me find a new home for some quiet, but the three of them accepted me quickly. I’d like to help them myself, but I also don’t want my power to come into the hands of people like those red ones.”

“I know how that feels,” he said. “I come from a cursed family of killers and I’m trying not to kill others too. But they might have access to methods that were used to control my great-grandfather in the Great War.”

“I’ve heard of the Asari,” he said, twitching his tail thoughtfully. “Huh, then I’m grateful that it was you who came. Yveltal seemed to find a lot of promise in you. Maybe you can help them.”

“Hope so,” he said. “I hope you don’t mind me asking, but how’d you get to mega evolve? I’ve gotten one of the mega rings from the group in Kalos that keeps that secret,” he showed the ring on his finger to Mewtwo. “I thought these artifacts were of divine origin.”

“They are, but I got curious about it when I heard a certain story from some Pokemon,” Mewtwo said. “In the forests around the northern mountains, there’s another pair of Pokemon guardians, but these are both mortal. For many generations, a mega ring and a mega stone have been passed from Pokemon to Pokemon, for the sake of protecting the forests in times of war and violence. I went to see how the process worked, then came back to see if I could replicate it. That’s the first time I had to use it seriously, but once you said they meant to sacrifice the captured Pokemon, I couldn’t keep hiding as I planned.”

“I wouldn’t be surprised if they end up with nightmares, based on how those spells felt,” Calem said.

That made Mewtwo smirk. “For threatening my village, they deserve it.”

“Hello?” Wulfric came in from the forest, accompanied by Heinrich and Mortan. He was a huge man, reminding Calem of a burly Walrein. A leather coat was hung off one of his shoulders. Looking over them in surprise, he walked towards them. “I heard there was trouble, but it seems settled now.”

“Luckily,” Mewtwo said. “This young man who interceded the message was sufficient help, although we still have the seven troublemakers here to take away.”

Wulfric nodded. “All right, I’ll see about getting a helicopter out here to take them out. Did you try to affect their memories?”

The guardian shook his head. “My power is still too damaging to do something that delicate, but the others have done what they could.” He looked off to the forest. “I didn’t want to intrude on Xerneas’ territory, but given what they tried to do, it seems I’ll have to take control of the forest and enforce its maze. So the regular methods might not work for a while.”

“That’s fine; do what you must.” Wulfric stepped aside to call for the helicopter, than joined them to ask what had happened.

Once the Team Flare members and their bomb were taken away by the police, Calem and Wulfric headed back into the forest to get to Snowbelle. Mewtwo stayed in the Pokemon village to finish his checks on the Pokemon there before taking control of the forest enchantments. The Furfrou also decided to stay in the village, so Calem had said goodbye to him. On being asked, he promised that he’d come visit once the troubles with Team Flare were settled.

In the forest, Wulfric said, “Thanks for handling that for me and sending your Pokemon to pass on the message. I got called into an unexpected meeting.”

“It’s all right, I’m glad it worked out,” Calem said. “Actually, I was trying to reserve a challenge with you and I’m not the sort to wait around when I know someone’s in trouble.”

He laughed heartily at that. “Wonderful, we’ll see about getting at date set back in town. But you know, you’re quite lucky to have seen Mewtwo. He lets people with good intentions visit, but keeps hidden most of the time. I found the village when I was just a boy and it was rather new, but it was a few years before I finally saw the guardian.”

“I never even heard of him before today, but it turns out that we’re similar in some ways. I think he recognized that too and trusted me for it.”

_These days, more people are aware of Mewtwo’s presence in the Pokemon Village. However, he has made it even more difficult for humans to find the place unless enough Pokemon put in a good word for the person. Those of us who know the way agree with that caution, as the Pokemon there have chosen to live apart from humans._

* * *

_At the time that I challenge Wulfric, he had his gym set up with a really impressive puzzle, where the pathways could be rotated into new arrangements. There was no way to set the paths up so there was one clear path to his battle platform, so they had to be turned several times to get over there. I could have simply warped past the puzzle, but I honored his methods and completed it normally._

It was snowing inside of the Gym, chilled like an icebox with all the enchantments to keep the resident Pokemon happy. Knowing it would be like this, Calem had gotten some of his winter clothes out from storage, enough to keep warm but not obstruct his capacity to battle. The building was nice to be in, the snowfall a gentle tumble and the rotating paths good to walk on. It could have been worse, especially since Ice Pokemon also loved hailing conditions.

Wulfric was wearing his coat now, but still appeared underdressed for the cold, without any gloves, hat, or scarf. But he also looked tough enough to endure these conditions constantly; it was likely more uncomfortable for him to go outside of Snowbelle in this late summer weather. “Great to see you again,” he said in a booming voice. He might have thought Wulfric had one of the most powerful voices he’d encountered, if he hadn’t run into Zygarde singing. “I think you might like to hear that we’ve managed to get some charges pressed against those Team Flare jerks who invaded the village.”

“That’s good; hope it gets through.” It wouldn’t surprise him if Lysandre managed to get those charges dropped, or kept the whole thing out of public notice.

The gym leader nodded. “We could really only get them on using explosives without a license, which isn’t a lot compared to what they did. But it’s a start and they didn’t get to keep the Pokemon. Enough of that, we’re here to see you prove your magic. I don’t have anything fancy to offer for challenges, but what you’ve got to do here at the fifth level is trouble enough. You need to win in a supporting role this time. Much like the badge run of the league, we’ll start out with a Triples style Pokemon battle. But unlike the badge run, you’re free to cast any support spell on your Pokemon as you guide them, and only support spells until one of them goes down. Then you end up on the battle line and can use battle spells and techniques. Same deal on my end; first side to knock out all four on the other side wins, support member can’t be hit directly until they’re on the line. Is that agreeable?”

“Yes, sounds good,” Calem said. That was well known, so he’d planned ahead.

With that settled, they began the battle. Wulfric managed some trick where he released all three of his Pokemon at once: an Abomasnow on Calem’s left, a Cryogonal on his right, and an Avalugg in the center. Good because the Avalugg might take longer to take down and if they kept the triples formation, it was better if Wulfric didn’t have a central position. At the same time, bad because the Abomasnow’s aura made the falling snow turn thick with small pieces of hail mixed in. Making a last minute swap of the end positions, Calem brought out Percival on the right, Starlet on the left, and Yorick in the center. The Gengar was there primarily to be annoying.

While Wulfric was barking out orders, Calem brought up Wide Guard to give his team a brief time to prepare before the other side could attack them. Percival started off using Sword Dance as he’d been told, his blade staying behind his shield while the energy wrapped around him. “Starlet, Rock Smash against the Abomasnow, then follow up with a harder hit,” he said. His hope was to have it and the Cryogonal taken out together. “Yorick, confuse the Avalugg then go after the Abomasnow if she doesn’t take it out on the second hit. Percival, strike the Cryogonal down and then the Avalugg.” The shield faded at that point, having endured a single attack; the other two Pokemon seemed to be preparing as well. Calem started up Grassy Terrain; it would miss Yorick, so he’d need to focus on keeping him healed first until he was brought into the battle line.

He could feel the usual murmurs in the back of his mind, but the style of this battle had so much going on that he couldn’t listen even if he wanted. Starlet was the first to cross the formations, swinging her steel jaw into the Abomasnow’s trunk, then skipping to the side and winding up for the stronger attack. The large tree Pokemon tried to smash an icy fist into her, but that wouldn’t do much. Next was Percival, clenching his shield with his sash to make a powerful strike against the ice crystal Pokemon, right as it was building energy for a second spell. Starlet then struck the Abomasnow so hard that snow and a few needles fell off its branches. As it still stood, Yorick snuck over in the floor and punched the Abomasnow to knock it down.

After he felt a brief pride that the plan was working, the Avalugg then caused what seemed to be a ton of snow to fall on all four of them, causing a great deal of damage. As an attack-all spell, that did not count as a direct hit on Calem. Thankfully, he was at the edge of it and his spirit orb didn’t show much damage. Even though her defenses were strong, Starlet was hurting quite a bit. Still, he healed Yorick first since the field effect would help her hang on the brief time until he could cast again.

Wulfric was now on the field, but he first cast a spell that made a thick fog wrap around them. Maybe that worked normally with the attack-all spells he was using. However, all the water particles in the air synced up perfectly with Calem’s abilities so he would not miss. There were other methods of getting around fog too. As Yorick had put confusion on the Avalugg, he called, “Yorick, Hex the Avalugg. Starlet, follow him to make sure it’s defeated. Percival, you hang tight for a moment.”

Calem then healed up Starlet while the Aegislash shifted his stance to boost his defenses. Probably a good idea since the leader’s spells had to be strong. As he thought, the Gengar located the Avalugg in the fog and used the curse against him. The Avalugg was trying its hardest to cast again through the confusion, but the combined attacks of Yorick and Starlet took it down. Then Wulfric used the same spell, Avalanche, against them. Oddly, it wasn’t as strong; perhaps it had some extra condition that could power it up.

“Yorick, Starlet, you two try to find him,” Calem called. “Percival, link up to me.”

As the connection was made, he felt a strong anxiety from the Aegislash. ‘You really want me to attack the human? I know that’s how it is here, but…’ he’d been taken out of the failed battle with Korrina too fast to have actually attacked her.

“It’s okay,” Calem said softly. “He’s expecting it because of the conditions of battle. And you just have to do enough damage to break his spirit orb. Use Aerial Ace; it doesn’t require you to hit him directly and I can help you locate him.”

‘We’re not really going to hurt people,’ Percival said, mostly to himself as he shifted himself again.

“That’s right, we’re preparing for when we’ll have to do this to protect others,” Calem said as Percival found Wulfric through his senses and slashed through the air to attack. Starlet had missed the leader entirely, but Yorick had managed a glancing blow with Shadow Ball.

Percival did not miss, shattering the spirit orb immediately. ‘We won’t let each other fail,’ he said, feeling more confident as he disconnected.

As he cleared the fog with another spell, Wulfric laughed. “Nicely done with that perfect knockout! One of your Pokemon has a really keen eye.”

“Or a spell that just doesn’t miss,” Calem said, smiling. “Although if I had been off support, that fog would have worked completely against you.”

_For winning my fifth proof of magic, I got Wulfric to teach me the fog spell. I might not be using my powers like my ancestors did, but it’s still a big advantage for me to obscure myself to vision as well._


	29. Capture the Flag

_It was the first weekend of my sixth year at LMA when I challenged Grant in Cyllage. Since it was the first weekend, I figured I’d have time I wouldn’t have in coming weeks to do this. Not really, since I was already in two group projects in different classes, needed research done in another, a paper for yet another class, and get reading done for two more. Plus the advanced battle classes had a higher requirement for the weekly battle log; at least the teacher allowed me to exchange magic duels for more Pokemon battles, as I was less likely to accept duels because of pressure from the Asari. But the match was scheduled already and I’d only get busier as the school year went on._

When he arrived at Cyllage’s train station, he was part of a large crowd getting off the train. It was still summer, so he figured they were headed for the beach. That seemed to be true, but as he looked over the town from the station, there were a great many people in town as well. By the bright ribbons and flags lining the streets, it seemed something big was going on.

“Hey, Calem?” someone called from near the station exit. It was Grant; Calem had seen pictures of him before. Mostly it was his hairstyle, with small jewel tone hairpins in his thick tightly curled hair. As it looked more like it was rock flecked with quartz, it wasn’t a feminine style at all.

“That’s me,” he said. “Hello Grant.”

He grinned and came over to shake his hand. “Great! I figured it was you because of the academy uniform. I’ve got something I was asked to do first, so how about you join me in watching the bike race?”

A bike race? Several of the roads in this town had steep slopes, so it had to be tough to bike through. “Sure, that’s fine.”

“Great, then we need to get to the grandstand quickly,” Grant said, leading the way out of the station and down the street. “Normally I’d be in the race myself, but I figured better save my energy for today. They asked me to start off the race instead, since I’ve already got a spot in the end of season race.”

“You have a lot of races here then?” Calem asked.

He nodded. “Yes, every weekend from May to September, unless it rains or there’s one of the bigger Kalos bike marathons. The sport’s been really growing again the past decade, though it’ll probably take some more time to get as much attention as the League. Speaking of that, I’ve already had a large number of requests to see recordings of your challenge.”

“Even though I just reserved the match?” Some of his Battle Club friends had asked about his challenges, but he thought that was it so far.

“You’re getting to the point of people paying attention,” Grant said, starting up a flight of stairs along one of the steeper roads. “Especially with you not yet graduated from the region’s famed academy; people are already talking about you.”

And that was even more pressure to not screw up at this point. The thought of all that scrutiny made him nervous, but he put that out of mind to watch the bike race from up in the grandstand where most of the race officials were. Just below the highest part of the course, on the inside of the curve leading to the biggest slope of the race, it had a good view over the entire town and track. After grabbing the starting flag, Grant headed down the slope to the starting line where the contestants were getting ready. The race started with the bikes heading straight alongside the rail on one side of Cyllage, all the way down to the beach. They then headed out in a weaving path between many flags and over sandbars until they reached the other side to Cyllage where the paved road began again. After going a short ways into town, the course headed straight to the cliffs where a long series of straight paths and 180 turns made its way up to the top. This reconnected to the big slope to head back to the startling line.

It was quite exciting. Grant started it off with a big waving of the flag and a series of magically crafted fireworks, causing all of the racers to speed off down the first straight way. And these all seemed to be serious competitors, not casual bike riders like Calem and his friends. Every piece of their gear seemed to be designed to make things easier on them, like the streamlined helmets and the light athletic clothing. Even their bikes were designed for speed over the varied course here in Cyllage, from the smooth clean pavement to the damp sandbar (which at points even had shallow water in their paths). And Grant was good enough that he was guaranteed a spot in the final race of the season, while the rest of these athletes must still be working towards that goal. That was impressive, to be considered a master in several different fields.

After the race, Grant spent some time congratulating the top bikers, then brought Calem along the bike course to his gym. It was set into the cliff at the edge of Cyllage, using the natural caverns for its rooms. Some of the main floor seemed to have been carved down, but a large tower of rock had been left in the center to be turned into a climbing wall. Past that, there was a large waterfall and pool that made the air naturally damp. Many tunnels appeared to be in the walls, with open holes to look into the main central room.

“I have to lock up the main doors and some of the tunnels just in case,” Grant said, shifting a rock panel on the wall to reveal a control pad.

“That’s fine,” Calem said. But although Grant was taking these precautions, he didn’t seem afraid at all. He was actually anticipating this match, like someone who was into thrill-seeking sports like skydiving and cliff jumping. Or rock climbing without safety lines, he considered.

Before he got the main doors shut, a young teenager ran up to the door. “Hey, Grant! Can I get a challenge for the gym badge?”

“Of course, but not right now,” he replied, waving to the younger Trainer. “Sorry, but I’ve got a special reservation to handle. Come back in about three hours when the gym’s open to the public again, all right?”

“I didn’t know you could reserve the whole gym,” the teenager said, puzzled.

“For unusual circumstances,” Grant said as he set the large doors to descend. “See ya later.”

“Right, I’ll be back later.”

“They actually closed off the whole of Centrico Plaza when I challenged Clemont,” Calem said.

“I’d imagine so,” Grant said. After the door thumped closed, he turned to him. “Well then, I hope you’re ready for some action, because I’ve got a little game for your challenge ready. We’re going to play Capture the Flag.” He snapped his fingers and summoned up two inactive orbs and two flags. One had the gym’s symbol on a brown background, while the other had a Pokeball symbol on a black background. “You’ve got half an hour to find someplace to park your flag, anywhere in the gym; I’ll be doing the same. Set one or two Pokemon to be your base guards, no more. When you’ve got that done, flip the switch on the flag to signal your readiness. When we’re both ready, the gym speakers will play a countdown to when the game begins. You can have your four other Pokemon helping you fight or track down the other flag. To win, you need to meet two of three conditions in thirty minutes: get my flag to your base, keep my team from bringing your flag to my base, and take out at least four members of my side. Got that?”

It sounded fun, so he activated his spirit orb and accepted the Pokeball flag. “Got it. Is something in the gym going to be keeping track of what’s going on?”

He nodded. “Normally I’d have a few of my Trainers in the gym keeping track. Since they can’t be here, I’ve got them in a building in Cyllage watching the cameras instead of being here in person.” Then he activated a radio mode on his holocaster. “You guys ready?”

“Everything’s running smooth,” a young man said. “Whenever you two are ready to begin, we’ll start the timer.”

“I’m ready,” Calem said.

“Same here,” Grant said, and the gym trainers set off a buzzer in the gym’s sound system to start the match. Grant headed off into one of the tunnel entrances nearby.

Calem warped himself to the top of the rock wall, to get a better look over this place. Anywhere in the gym, was it? Grant had the advantage of knowing this place like the back of his hand, but Calem had the advantage of warping to locations that might be difficult to access otherwise. At the base of the waterfall was tempting, but that seemed obvious. He warped up to the top of the waterfall to find another pond where a couple of fish Pokemon were lurking. Checking on them, he found that their auras had Water and Rock types in them. Relicanth; neither was attached to a Pokeball, but perhaps Grant had one in his team if this pair was living here. A grate and magic barrier closed off the stream that fed the waterfall, so that seemed to be the edge of the gym.

Deciding to not use the waterfall, he went to check out a few tunnels. Eventually, he found an alcove that had a good view over the tunnel hall just below it. The other side wouldn’t be able to sneak up on this base and it might just go missed by someone simply walking through the hall. Calem got up there and set his flag against the wall. After checking on things, he brought out the six Pokemon he’d chosen. While Nibbles had some moves to deal with Rock types, she was the most at risk in terms of type match ups. So he’d left the Pinsir out, making sure to get Mortan for the day.

“Okay, like you might have heard, winning battles is only one of the conditions we need to meet to pass this time,” Calem told them. “We have to keep this flag here at our base, while getting Grant’s flag and bringing it back here. If we manage to keep this undiscovered, we might not even have to battle. Heinrich, Yorick, I want the two of you to stay here at base and guard our flag. It’s better to go unnoticed for you two, so keep quiet.” That was mostly for the latter, as he was sure the former would go completely silent without the request.

“Gwa haw,” Yorick agreed, even being quiet now.

“We’ll keep a quiet watch, I’ll make sure of it,” Heinrich said.

He nodded. “The rest of us are going to spread out through the gym to look for the other flag and confront Grant and his team if needed. I trust you guys to handle things on your own, so I’m sending you off in pairs. Call on me if you get outnumbered, your partner is knocked out, or if you find the flag; I’ll hear you and get over to help out. Swift, Starlet, you two go together and check out the ground level, including around the waterfall and pond. I noticed some Pokemon in there, so Swift, make sure to get to a spot where Starlet can fight with you since those Pokemon might have a resistance to Water aura.”

The Greninja croaked in agreement, while Starlet smiled and nodded. Calem felt the two of them would work together well. Because of Starlet’s haughty attitude at times, Yorick liked to tease her and Mortan sometimes got annoyed by her. Swift would keep her from making a mistake, but was tolerant of the proud Pokémon.

“Then Mortan and Percival, you two check on the tunnels and some higher areas like the top of the waterfall,” Calem said. “It might help to do this quietly, since you two can get around unnoticed if you want. Grant will also have a guard or two at his flag, so for any of us, checking out an area where a Pokemon seems to be staying in one place could help.”

“Right, that’d help,” Mortan said. Percival agreed with him. “Then we have half an hour once the buzzer sounds again?”

He nodded. “Yup, that’s the time we have. Are all of you ready to go?” Once they agreed, he flipped the switch on the flag’s pole and jumped down to the hall. “We can go ahead and split up now that the base is decided on, make this location less obvious. Swift, Starlet, I’ll help you two find the path down then head out on my own.”

There were stairs at either end of the hallway, so the three of them got down to ground level in time for the buzzer to sound. Bringing out his dagger and cowl, Calem warped over to the rock tower and found a sheltered spot to keep track of his Pokemon. He’d give them fifteen minutes to see if they could solve the game first, then he’d start looking. That seemed like a reasonable plan and he was hoping his Pokemon could find Grant’s base so they’d all have a reason to celebrate later on.

Down on the ground level, Starlet and Swift had decided to check out the main room first. Two of Grant’s Pokemon were in this room as well, both on the base pond. As Calem had thought, a Relicanth that was part of the gym officially was lurking under the water. On top of the water was a Pokemon he recognized as having been on Serena’s team fairly often, an Aurorus that swam around calmly. Around its body, ice started to form on the pond’s surface. Higher up in the cavern, Percival and Mortan were floating around to check on the uppermost tunnels first.

Swift was the first one to spot the Aurorus. But she and Starlet decided to take it on by themselves. The Mawile couched down and managed to blend herself into the rocky area by the pond while Swift got into the water quietly to swim out to it. Using a pair of her water shurikens, she got the Aurorus’ attention so that it pursued her onto the ground. It sent a cascade of its icy water after her, but once on ground, it got caught in a coordinated attack between Swift and Starlet. That knocked it out, causing it to vanish back to its Pokeball.

Then the Relicanth emerged with a sneak attack of its own, sending rocks flying. But it was alone against two, so it was soon taken out as well. That was two defeated, which might still come in handy. Calem warped down to the edge of the pond to heal the two Pokemon. “Great job, both of you,” he said quietly, petting Swift. “There’s a couple more Relicanth in the water, but they’re up above and not actually Grant’s. So there’s most likely no more in the water here.”

“Meesa,” Starlet said happily.

Leaving them to search the waterfall for the flag, Calem returned to his waiting spot and checked on the others. An Aerodactyl was circling around the central room, causing Mortan and Percival to be careful. Grant was passing through the tunnel Calem’s base was in, causing Heinrich and Yorick to watch him carefully. But even he missed checking up in the alcove in preference of checking on the rooms in that tunnel. The two Ghosts discussed quietly about doing something against Grant. Yorick really wanted to play a prank, but Heinrich was trying to advise him to caution.

That changed once Grant went downstairs to search the next tunnel. With some ideas from Heinrich, Yorick moved through the floor to the next level, moving like a shadow just in Grant’s view until the leader paid attention. As Grant tried to locate him specifically, Yorick hit him with Confuse Ray, then went out into the hall and taunted him until he chased the Gengar out into the hall and down the stairs, where he tripped down the last few. He was still alert and the damage his spirit orb reported wasn’t worrisome. Yorick gave a cackle, then took off for the base before Grant could clear his mind and figure out what happened.

Good, that wouldn’t be a definite hint to the base’s location and if he was unlucky, Grant would run across Swift and Starlet. Calem smiled then checked back with Percival and Mortan. The two of them had not alerted other Pokemon yet, so their search was quiet so far. But now, they had found a Tyrantrum pacing around one hallway, on the middle of three levels. That match... it could be rough. Mortan could handle it with little problem, but if it got to Percival, it might be able to knock him out. The Aerodactyl was still flying around, having missed them so far. Wanting to keep hidden, the Flabebe and Aegislash went into in another room in that upper hall while the Tyrantrum couldn't see them. They called for Calem there.

A buzzer for the fifteen minute mark sounded as he warped to the top of the tower, then to a window in the particular hallway, then into the room. That was the most certain way he felt of getting there. “What do you two want to do about that Pokemon?” he asked quietly.

“I think I could take it out in a single Petal Blizzard,” Mortan said. “But I want to be sure of getting rid of it without alerting Grant too soon. If you two attack with me, then it should work.”

Calem nodded. “All right. Since I’m here, I can tell it's Rock and Dark type. Percival, if you can get close to it without being noticed, Sacred Sword should work really well on it. Mortan and I will cast our spells, and if it's still alert after that, take it down as soon as possible.”

“Kishin,” Percival agreed, then phased into the wall to get closer.

Calem brought his hand up to cover where Mortan hovered near him as they left the room. The cowl should cover for them both, even if he had to quickly move to a shadowed portion of the hall. As the Tyrantrum walked closer to them, it sniffed along the floor. It noticed something, growling and glancing around. It nearly looked right at where Percival was in the wall, so Calem signaled Mortan to cast with him. Petal Blizzard and Water Pulse combined to form a torrent filled with petals, striking the Tyrantrum before it could figure out where the threat was. With it fainting from both spells, the precaution with Percival hadn't really been needed. But the Aegislash came out of the wall and beckoned them over.

In the storage room the Tyrantrum had been protecting, there was the gym's flag being used for this challenge. It was placed inside of a device which would emit a loud alarm when taken. “Sneaky, he trapped it,” Calem said, taking a moment to check on the others in the Gym. Swift and Starlet were hiding on the ground level, watching Grant warily. Heinrich and Yorick were still at the base. Meanwhile, the Aerodactyl continued to pace the central room; a Carbink and Boldore checked on the middle level halls.

“But he'll be here soon, won't he?” Mortan pointed out.

“Right. Okay, I’m giving the flag to you two. Use the back hall up here to bring it to our base and try to avoid notice from the other Pokemon, mostly that Aerodactyl. I think we can win this on stealth, not open confrontation. Once you get the flag there and out of sight from that hall, go to the back hall to wait out the last half. Try to hide over being found, but call me if they get into that hall. Got it?”

“What about the other hallway up here, over the front of the gym?” Mortan asked.

“I'll get the other two up there, don't worry. Okay...” by then, he'd realized that the alarm had batteries. Taking the cover off and removing them, he was able to release the flag without setting off the alarm. But he felt that Grant would know before long because the Tyrantrum had been returned. He passed off the flag to Percival and saw them off. Then he warped back to the edge of the window opening and checked on those on the ground level.

Starlet was carefully making her way towards the central tower, intent on hiding rather than taking on the gym leader. It seemed there were limits to even her pride. However, Swift stayed close, crouching down in a shadowed dip. Once Starlet was far enough away, the Greninja hit Grant with Smokescreen, then bounded off to the waterfall's base. The curse obscured Grant's sight, but he was able to clear it up himself. On hearing the splash of water, he checked on his team's Pokeballs.

Noticing that the Tyrantrum was knocked out, Grant decided to get back to his base immediately. He did so by casting Rock Climb, which surprisingly set up warp points like the swiftstep. But the aura seemed limited to only for rock surfaces. The warp points went to tiny ledges in the wall, but one was set to the frame of the second floor window opening. Calem jumped down to that warp point as Grant was warping up the wall, disrupting his climb. “Your technique seems limited,” he said, unable to resist teasing him for it.

Not caring that he was stuck standing on a tiny ledge against the wall two floors off the ground, Grant grinned. “You think?” Then he used a spell with a slight delay: Rock Slide, so that he could recast Rock Climb and bounce up the falling rocks trying to make sure something hit him.

Calem didn't even have time to be impressed as he was forced to warp out of the way. Those rocks might be enough to break his spirit orb and Grant seemed to be a wizard willing to throw a punch if that was more effective. While he could sense the Asari trying to speak to him, he couldn't be paying attention as Grant recast his combo after just a moment's pause on another ledge. He was fast, only in part due to a quickness enchantment. Bikes weren't the only kind of race he could win.

To keep Grant from continuing his strategy, Calem cast Fog to fill the gym. He warped down to the ground right at the edge of the fog, leaving the gym leader up on the wall outside the second level hall. His next move took him to the part of the central tower Starlet was hiding by, with a pair of targeting circles towards the pond to bring Swift over. Briefly startled, the Mawile brought her steel jaw up defensively, then relaxed on seeing that it was him.

“We’ve got the flag,” he said, once his Greninja appeared with them. “Percival and Mortan are bringing it back to base, so I’m going to move you two up to one of the upper halls to keep an eye on who comes near. I'd prefer you to stay hidden while you do so and if you must attack someone, try not to let them raise the alarm to their teammates. Got it?”

They both agreed, so he recalled them to their Pokeballs to warp them up. As he did, a powerful hot wind blew through the gym, instantly drying up his fog. Grant apparently knew Defog, so this advantage couldn't last long. Calem made a multistep warp up to the third level hall that Swift and Starlet needed to watch, trying to get out of the cleared area before he was spotted. After pausing for a moment to make sure he was safe, he released his Pokemon and checked on the positions of others in the gym.

Percival and Mortan were still making their way through the back hall with the flag; staying out of the Aerodactyl's sight wasn't easy. Heinrich was doing his best to keep Yorick from getting bored and giving away their position. Noticing that, Calem thought it might be good to send the Gengar out on some mischief. Nothing in the game's rules said that he couldn't change the base guards as long as their number was the same. The Carbink and Boldore pair were now in the hallway below their team's base. Across the gym, Grant whistled from hall outside of his base, bringing the Aerodactyl to him.

Guessing ahead, Calem made sure Swift and Starlet were confident in their role, then warped over to the alcove his base was in. “Heinrich, I think Grant's sending his Pokemon below us a message through the Aerodactyl. Will you go down and eavesdrop?”

“Certainly,” he said, diving down into the stones to get to the lower level.

“And I might have another task for you soon,” Calem said to Yorick, much to his delight. But then there was a brilliant flash from the central room, bringing in a cascade of powerful sunlight from a Sunny Day enchantment. Even in a hidden upper part of the hallway, Calem shielded his eyes trying to get used to it. “Wow, that's going to make it hard for me to hide.”

Percival and Mortan appeared at the end of the hall, almost back at base. However, the Aerodactyl flew by cawing, making them all freeze momentarily. It flew into the second floor hall, allowing the other pair to make their way quickly to their base. “Oh, you're here already,” Mortan said as Percival set Grant's flag by theirs. “That wasn't easy. Percival had to float horizontal against the wall at points to avoid being noticed with the flag.”

“Then you did a marvelous job getting over here stealthily,” Calem said, smiling. “I might be changing our strategy again, as I'd like to take Yorick around for some trouble-making, keeping their attention off this area.”

The Gengar gave a toothy grin at that, pleased with that plan over staying to hide.

“In that case, Percival's going to stay here and you'll be watching that hall alone Mortan. You okay with that?”

He nodded. “I'd have an easier time keeping unseen on my own in this place.”

“If you get in trouble, either I'll come or I’ll send Swift over, depending on who you face,” Calem said. “But we're getting a chance to see what they're up to in a bit.”

Heinrich came up right on time with that. “They think they've mostly eliminated the third and second floor,” he said. “Grant wants them to check on the last parts of the second floor quickly to focus on the first. He thinks we're either on this side in the first floor because Yorick attacked him there, or near the waterfall because those two Pokemon were taken out quickly. And the Aerodactyl is keeping his position so he can spot anyone moving through the central room from the air.”

“All right.” He activated his holocaster to check the time. “So we've got about seven minutes to hold our ground.” He filled in Heinrich on the changes, then sent off Mortan while taking Yorick to inform Starlet and Swift of the new situation. Then he brought his Gengar down to the first floor hallways, to use some distraction to keep the four remaining opponents from finding them.

With the bright sunlight filling the cave, it wasn't going to be easy for either of them to keep hidden. Yorick had it easier, but traces of his violet ectoplasm often leaked out of the wall when he hid there. And these Pokemon were attuned to the rock, so they might be able to sense his movements. So the first thing he had Yorick do was hit both the Boldore and the Carbink with Confuse Ray in the second floor hallway. After they wasted a few minutes that Grant spent checking over the tower, the Gengar then said some rude things to them before fleeing down the stairs. He didn't need to know the Taunt curse in particular to rile the other two into chasing him.

The Carbink soon calmed down, realizing that the Gengar might be trouble for her. The Boldore was still mad, so agreed to search for Yorick in this hall while its partner went after Grant. Leaving Yorick to handle the rocky black Pokemon, Calem watched for the other two, then warped out to face them. As soon as Grant met his eyes, he cast the Mean Look curse over the leader before warping back into the hallway. That would keep him from using Rock Climb like he had before, taking out the risk that he'd get back up to the third floor quickly. Grant grumbled and chased after him on foot, sending the Carbink to search another hall on the first floor. Before they could get to the halls, the buzzer sounded to warn them that they had only five minutes left.

The Aerodactyl screamed in fury overhead. Checking up there, Calem sensed that Swift had gone out on her own to distract it to the area where Grant's base had been. He had to trust her judgment with what he'd told them, since he had a possible confrontation down here. Yorick had confused the Boldore again, causing it to fire a series of rocks at Grant as he ran into the hall. While it would have been amusing to have the leader taken out by his own Pokemon, Grant noticed the danger and jumped back before he got hit. He healed the Boldore of its confusion, then darted between the rooms trying to gauge the situation. When he was halfway done with the hall, the Boldore gave a rough squeal to alert Grant of where Yorick was hiding in the wall. The Gengar hit the other Pokemon with Confuse Ray a third time while Calem waited for Grant to be in the hallway in order to cast Flash.

“Yorick!” The blinding light gave him time to run to the hall behind the waterfall, the Gengar following after. While Grant was trying to fix his brief blindness and the Boldore's confusion, Calem waved the Yorick closer. “Get in the rooms and make small noises, but get out once they come in to search. If we get cornered, rush out through the waterfall and call me so I can warp to you.”

“Gwa hah ha,” Yorick laughed, then went into one room while Calem took another.

It just had to be small noises to make them investigate: a footstep, a box being moved, a chair tipped over (this one courtesy of Yorick). Eventually the Carbink came to join them, relaying to Grant that she had found nothing of them in the other first floor halls. “Something’s not right,” Grant said as Calem hid in the room he was searching. “We don't have time; let's just find them. There's at least two here.”

Calem pushed the chair out from the desk he was hiding behind, then warped into the next room where Yorick was. “Not much longer,” he whispered. “But get 'em again just because. You haven't confused the Carbink in a while.”

Snickering, Yorick slipped off through the shadows to do that. Calem added another casting of Fog to add to the mess, allowing the Gengar to confuse Grant for the last couple of minutes. But once the last buzzer sounded to end the game, Calem cast Heal on Grant to clear up his confusion, letting him do the same for his Carbink.

“Are we done already?” Grant asked, clearing the air with Defog and checking his holocaster.

“That’s right,” the gym trainer on the radio said. “Man, that was an awesome match.”

“Maybe on your end, but I'm still not sure what's gone on.”

“That was fun,” Calem said, getting a cackle from Yorick hiding nearby.

“I’ll give you that,” Grant said, grinning back. “What’s the status on the flags? And where is his base? I don't have a clue right now.”

“Calem's team has both of them at their base,” the gym trainer said. “And you got so close to his base too. You know the spot up on the third floor west hallway that has a hole up near the top? Where you usually put one of the targets for the perception challenge. That's where.”

His expression clearly said, 'Are you kidding me?' to the holocaster. Then he smacked his forehead. “That spot? Why didn't I think to check up there? I was there pretty early if I remember right. I think I glanced up there, but there didn't seem to be anything out of the ordinary.”

“Maybe, but they followed the game rules well. He switched guards once, but you've said that was allowable before. And... none of his Pokemon are knocked out with three of yours down. The Aerodactyl is nearly out, but he's still hanging in there.”

“That’s because he's one tough old bird,” Grant said, summoning one of the proof of magic pins. “In any case, you met two of the three conditions, so nicely done! Came close to meeting three.”

“Well I need to prove I can use my powers without fully resorting to violence, so it fit my goals,” Calem said.

“Still, nicely done and thanks for the incredible match,” he said, passing over the pin. “Not often that I meet someone as capable in magical wall climbing. But more importantly, you've shown an excellent grasp in strategy, well meeting our expectations. From using the local environment for cues to using distractions to keep your opponent from their goals, it takes more than just direct power to be a real champion.”

* * *

Since his afternoon after the match was free, Calem brought his Pokemon out to one of the sandbars out in the coastal waters. It got them out of the main crowds while still letting them enjoy the last portion of summer at the beach. He changed out of his uniform in favor of casual clothes he didn't mind getting wet, as well as brought over snacks for their celebration. And because he didn't want to leave her out entirely, he brought Nibbles along too; she happily went to splashing in the water with Swift, sometimes digging in the sand to find shells.

Most of his team were playing together like that. Calem spent some time showing Starlet the spell Grant had taught him. Out of all the spells he'd used, Rock Slide seemed best for variety. “Seems like it could be a multi-target or single target spell,” Calem said, watching the rocks materialize, fall into the water, then dematerialize shortly after.

Starlet tugged at his shirt and waved her paw towards where he had cast it.

“You trying to figure it out?” he asked, casting it again. “That would be useful, and should cover some types the team doesn't have covered.” He cast a third time, making him think. “I used to wonder as a kid, where do the rocks come from and where do they go? They make a splash, so they're there. According to my classes, aura can make such objects temporarily real, but since they're not completely real, they get undone by their innate instability. But it's real for that moment, which is why it hurts. Oh yeah, and when it came to water, the spells can draw from water in the air and surrounding area to materialize and keep a person wet, but even that will dematerialize for most part. That's why it's advised not to drink or eat magically produced items even if they're normally edible, because unless they're grown or fully pulled from nature, they'll dematerialize even in your stomach, which can cause problems. So the rocks are only real for a few seconds, like Trevor’s flowers.”

Somewhere in his rambling, Starlet tightened her paws into fists, clenching both jaws. Then she cast a spell that looked like Rock Slide, but without as many rocks as Calem had made. She sighed in disappointment.

“No, you were pretty close there,” he said. “I think you've got the right idea, but you just need to practice it a few times. Go ahead; at worst, we're scaring off local fish, but nobody's fishing over here on this sandbar.”

Nodding, she tried a few more times. Calem considered that it'd be a good spell for her to keep. But what about the rest? They had good moves and spells. Maybe he could upgrade Yorick's Poison Jab with something stronger. While the chance to poison was useful from time to time, it was often just as good to take out an opponent quicker with a strong move. Or perhaps going with something guaranteed to poison even if it didn't do as much damage, just in case they were set for a longer battle.

But most magic users who trained Pokemon learned curing spells early on as there simply weren't many options for Pokemon to heal teammates. In his team, Mortan could cure statuses and use the regenerating field spell, but not a simple cure spell. Heinrich had some healing capability, but only for himself; one spell was a slow drain from another target while the other was only useful if they were willing to give up his mobility. In any case, Heinrich needed the most work in catching up to the others, in terms of his levels and his moves. And they needed to figure out how he evolved.

Thinking of that, he waved for Heinrich to come over as the Phantump floated away from Yorick with Percival. Both of them came over, but that was fine. “Hey Heinrich, I was wondering when you'd want to evolve. It happened to the rest of my Pokemon by chance, but we still have to figure it out for you.”

“I believe Phantump is a trade evolution,” he said. “I’ve been thinking about that too, but I’m not sure about it. On one hand, I like being small, as it's easy to hide. But then I’ve admired Trevenants before, and if we're in a wooded area, I could hide tree-mendously well.”

Calem groaned at that. “Did you have to make a pun out of it?”

He snickered. “Why not? I can be frivolous like that now. Anyhow, I'd rather put it off; I might be able to come into higher grade spells quicker that way, which I've heard works with some Pokemon.”

“More like most, but all right, we'll wait.”

Percival clicked in a nervous way, causing Heinrich to bob in the air. “Right, I’m getting to it. Calem, we think the Asari are going to try something soon. They've been watching you with such intent for a few minutes, but we can't tell more than that.”

Nodding and activating his senses, he said, “All right. I wondered about that, since I could hardly hear them in the gym. Guys? We need to be prepared...”

The Aegislash then gave a shrill alarm, with Heinrich saying, “We'll need to fight. Two are crossing over from the realm of spirits.”

Like before, only it was just him and his Pokemon here. Calem brought out his dagger and cowl in time for the two to begin materializing, not bothering with the shields this time. Maybe because there was a town full of people nearby? Even as they appeared, Calem could see a difference in them. One had a flicker of light in his aura, like a candle in a dark room. The other was completely dark.

“Those two,” Mortan said, coming near him.

“I can tell,” Calem said, raising his mega ring to his chest. “Yorick, keep them pinned! The rest of you, be careful.”

The Gengar's passive ability changed when he mega evolved, from Levitate to Shadow Tag. If he intentionally slowed himself a little, he could wipe out the teleport points as soon as they were made. Yorick was still in the process of doing so when the two Asari were fully there, both grabbing onto Calem's arms. “We can’t let you continue unmarked like this,” the corrupt one hissed.

Starlet didn't care about the danger they were to her and immediately dumped Rock Slide on them. Not being held by Yorick's ability, Calem warped out of their grasp and sliced through the connection to the one bearing light. That made it the one against them all, unless others came. Calem doubted it, as this place wasn't strong in death and it must have taken quite a lot of energy for the pair to appear here.

Angered, the corrupt Asari threw his dagger at Calem, only for him to warp out of it and Percival to deflect it back into him. The Aegislash took a nick to his blade doing that, but he was determined to be at his best. Then the freed Asari cast Thunder Wave on the other before coming over to Calem. “You cannot take the life of one who does not live,” the ghost said. “You can destroy this one without inflicting the curse on yourself. Cut off his connection too, then break the hateful aura that keeps him manifested.”

“D-dirty traitor,” the corrupt Asari growled, trying to break the paralysis through willpower. “We should have known you wouldn't...” he cussed as the ghost hit him with another Thunder Wave, just in case.

Hoping that was true, Calem trusted the ghost and cut through the other connection as well. Instead of turning into his former self, this one lost any recognizable human features to become an amorphous blob. He could more clearly sense the core of his cursed existence, almost like a heart hiding within ectoplasm. Calem didn't want to chance it, so he cast Shock Wave through his dagger. Shattering instantly, the Asari ghost faded into ashes, much like Eiota had.

And there was no change to Calem, not that he could feel or see. No marks were growing on his skin and the anger at his victory felt distant. “Then I can defeat them,” Calem said to himself. He turned to his other ancestor, this one a man with green hair partly obscuring his face. “Thank you. You can rest now.”

“No I can't,” the ghost said.

“Is that you, Allan?” Heinrich asked.

He nodded. “Right. There are things that the Asari minds know that you two can't, as you're not directly connected to the eldest. I wanted you to know of them, but I was connected and it was enough of a struggle to keep my treacherous thoughts to myself. One I've already told you, something I found out on accident. And for another thing, we can't read much of what Team Flare is doing here in Kalos.”

“You can't?” Calem asked.

“We couldn't tell much before because the eldest wasn't interested,” Heinrich said. “I would guess that changed after Lysandre awakened Yveltal?”

“Not immediately but around then. I think Flare know about us; I’m not sure how, but their two bases of operations are screened so that they can't be sensed well.“ Allan bowed his head. “I would like to attempt to infiltrate their home base to help you, but I knew if I asked that of the eldest, he would force the information from me. However, I also knew that if I were to become disconnected, I would remain free to travel between this realm and the realm of spirits.”

“That would be a big help, but how?” Calem asked. “Tymar faded almost as soon as I met him.”

“Tymar was freed before Yveltal was captured,” Allan said. “And if Heinrich hadn't been turned into this Pokemon, he would have remained as a ghost too rather than being freed to rest. Zygarde was trying to tell you this. Because those two Pokemon have lived in this land for so long, their aura influences natural occurrences. Anywhere else in the world, a ghost only remains in extraordinary circumstances. Here and with Yveltal gone, the newly dead remain around even in ordinary deaths. There was nothing human left of the one I convinced to come with me; he had even lost his name in giving up his humanity. He turned to nothing.”

“But those of you who have some light and humanity left will remain, even disconnected,” Calem said as he thought of it. “Although I haven't heard of a lot of ghostly disturbances.”

“It’s been a low murmur so far,” he said. “But as their numbers swell the longer Yveltal is kept captive, the risk of the ghosts lashing out in their confusion or jealousy grows. You're still tied to the responsibilities of living, but I’m not. Thus there is nothing keeping me from...” he paused, a troubled look crossing his face. “Well, maybe one thing.”

“What is it?” he asked.

“Could I tell you my story?” he asked. “I can tell you some more about Tymar too, as I remember him well. I will always be one of the Asari; we all will be, but I don't want to pass on some day to just be a faceless person forgotten.”

_I couldn't deny him that, so I agreed and listened to him for the rest of that day. I've been writing down their stories too, the ones I know, although I don't know how much interest there is in getting all of them published. In case you're curious, Allan's father accepted their heritage wholeheartedly. He was reckless but the Asari spirits would always bail him out. That is, until Allan was born and the eldest did not care to save him from that recklessness as he had an heir._

_In being raised by his mother, Allan grew up to be a boy like myself, not wanting to join the Asari but trying to learn the powers without killing. He didn't have a lot of support like I have and his father's style of training was to endlessly harass and anger his son into using his powers without thoughts of morality. Allan quickly got fed up with that and hated his father most of all. Once he had the dagger as his first item, he destroyed his father's spirit in a rage exactly as he had told me to destroy the other corrupt Asari._

_Because he didn't receive the markings of the curse, Allan thought he'd beaten the system. But to punish him, the eldest Asari tapped into the quick temper that Allan's father had given him to make him kill his mother too. His despair at realizing that nearly led him to being consumed entirely by the curse. Thanks to a few people who dared to reach out to him, Allan started his struggle to keep his humanity. But he was always considered something of a traitor for destroying his father's spirit. After his death, the other Asari spirits put Allan through hellish torment until he began to act in line with the rest. He managed to keep that small light of his humanity, though; he told me that there were others still in the Asari family like that._


	30. The Heroes of Lumiose

_During the first meeting of Battle Club in my sixth year, I got elected club leader with no trouble at all. I had six proofs at the time, more than anyone else in the club aside from one girl who had three badges and three proofs. That was quite a role to handle, as I had to lead in planning and running club activities, keep club meetings on track, mediate disputes between club members, and give reports to our club advisor. Also, being the club leader got me acknowledged as the best trainer and dueler in battle. I don't think battles are the only method you can use to determine the best trainer, but I didn't mind the battles I often got challenged too. Although, there weren't many among the students who could give my team a challenge at that point._

_But dueling, I had to decline nearly every challenge I got for that, even if the other student complained._

“Hey, don’t pity me because I’m only a second year student,” the boy said defiantly. He still looked much like a child, so he couldn't be older than thirteen, probably past ten. “I got in the academy because I won a lot of official tournaments, even outside the junior categories.”

“It’s not that,” Calem said. “It’s a restriction the school put on me. I'm not allowed to participate in duels or any battle that involves the trainer unless one of the battle teachers approves of the conditions.”

“That can't be real,” he said.

He shrugged. “I can get the paperwork if you want. You'd have better luck challenging one of the other club members after the meeting. If you'll excuse me, I’ve got some things I need to get done before everyone is ready.” Then he went to a desk in the corner of their meeting room and handled some of the monthly club report.

The boy fumed for a bit, but then one of the other club members called him over and whispered. Even with that, Calem could hear them talking. “Hey kid, he's telling the truth. And seriously, you don't want to challenge him. He's aiming to become the magic champion before he graduates and even before he got restricted, he was a major pain in the butt to duel.”

“I remember that,” another student said, still trying to keep out of his hearing even though that was nearly impossible in this room. “You had to hope you could take him down in one shot, or else he'd get rain started and you couldn’t hit him even with a punch to the face.”

“But why would the club leader not be allowed to duel?” the new boy asked, still sounding angry.

“Hush,” the first student said. “Well the teachers won't say it, but there's been a lot of rumors about Calem. Like, you never see him in the boys dorm and if his homeroom goes on an overnight trip, he always comes back for the night. That's because he lives in the secret dorm for dangerous students, or so they say. And it seems right; he seems to even be staying there now when he could live off campus if he wanted.”

“Oh, and did you notice his hands?” the second student asked. “He only has nine fingers. Apparently it's because his whole family is cursed to turn insane with powers beyond normal human ability, and he got caught in a battle for his life trying to keep out of the curse.”

“That’s mostly rumor.”

“But what about last year when it happened, huh? He was out of school for a couple of weeks. I heard that Alexa even wrote an article in the newspaper about that battle, but didn't use his name.”

“Then he's dangerous?” the new boy asked.

“Nah, he's a great guy.”

“He certainly doesn't want to be dangerous, that's what I think.”

Another student added, “I think he's so cool,” then giggled about it.

At the desk, Calem smiled a little. It was funny hearing how these rumors morphed as time when on, a little bit true but more often than not mistaken. To tease them a bit, he let them keep talking while he finished the current entry, then used swiftstep to get behind the group before they noticed him gone from the desk. “What’re you all gossiping about now?” he asked in a friendly manner.

“Nothing!” one of the club members said, his face turning pale. There was a mix of laughter and embarrassment among them.

“It has to be something,” he said, walking over to the front of the table. “At any rate, we should be starting the meeting soon.”

“See, what'd we tell you?” one of the students whispered to the new boy.

This first order of business was introducing the three new club members who had passed the test with the Miracle Eye. Since it went by years, the first one was Trevor. “Good to see you join us,” Calem said with a smile. “Why’d you decide to test yourself here?”

Trevor smiled, not as shy as he’d been when he started school. “With how my magic has developed last year, I’ve decided that I want to try for an apprenticeship under Ramos. I think he’d understand, but I need to work on my skills in Pokemon battles so he’ll accept me.”

“Sounds like a good plan; hope you make it.”

The next new member was a girl in her third year named Crystal. “I really love my Carbinks,” she said when asked why she’d joined. “I have three of them and I want to spread their popularity. Maybe by aiming to become a gym leader, but then I’d have to decide if I want to be Rock type or Fairy type, and if I want to stay in Kalos because Valerie and Grant are well established here.”

One of her Carbinks was with her; the floating Pokemon jabbered happily along with her. The bonds between the two were really tight, Calem noticed. “Yeah, I don’t know if you can build a gym based off one kind of Pokemon, but hopefully we can help you figure out which path to take. Your Pokemon seems happy just to be with you, so I’m sure you’ll do fine.”

Crystal laughed. “Yeah, thanks!”

Lastly, there was that second year boy, Orion de Kalos. He was certainly related to Lysandre and Serena by the name alone, although how far apart from either of them wasn’t mentioned. “I’m here because being a great battler and trainer is in my blood. My parents both came here and they both led this club at different points. Simple as that.”

“But you got in on your own merit, which is good,” Calem said. That seemed to annoy Orion, which further set in the younger boy’s mind that he didn’t like him. Calem could sense that antagonism; he’d need to be careful not to provoke him too much.

With the introductions taken care of, he turned the meeting’s discussion towards an upcoming event the club took part in every year with a school gym. It came complete with its own badge, although it was unofficial and thus not recognized outside the academy like a league badge. It was also tradition that the club leader wasn’t the event gym leader. Being recognized as the best of the battle club meant that he would be a bonus challenge to students outside the club for the event, for an extra prize if the challenger won against him. For now, they had to decide on how to decorate their gym for the event’s theme. He had to decide before long how to pick the event’s gym leader as well. It had to be someone who was good so not many won the academy gym badge, but not too good or there would be complaints that too few could win.

“Could just do a small in-club tournament to decide the leader,” Calem said after the meeting to Yorick. They were over by the TM vending machine, as his team had gotten enough points in battles this week to get a better level of rewards. One in particular he’d seen before; was it back?

Yorick made a fist and punched the air. “Gapow!”

Calem smiled. “Go for a showy one? That would be fun. I’d tell them that they have to put on a good act and battle in order to be picked.” Scrolling to another page, Venoshock finally popped up. “All right, there it is. And we do have the points for it, great.” He pressed a button to select that one, then got the disk from the slot below.

Attached to the vending machine, there was a TM activator which let him teach Yorick the new skill right there. The Gengar was cooperative, holding still while the activator sent the instructions telepathically to him. Once the activator said that he had learned it, Yorick grabbed Calem’s arm and pointed to the wall.

“What is it?” he asked.

Yorick responded by pulling him into the realm of spirits. “Somebody’s trying to reach you,” he said.

“Oh, thanks,” a ghost nearby said.

Calem stood up and soon recognized the green-haired man. “Hi Allan. How’s your work going?”

“This is harder than I imagined it would be, working as a regular ghost,” he replied. “Not easy to keep focused; I probably would have had an easier time if I’d come to find you in the evening. And the technology, well, I’m not entirely sure what it’s about.”

“I might be able to figure it out still,” Calem said. “But I’ve been doing what you and Zygarde suggested. We’ve got the apple trees blooming in fall again here in Lumiose, so I think Xerneas is being held in Lumiose. And there have been a lot of reports of hauntings all throughout Kalos, but not in Lumiose, so Yveltal must be here too.”

Allan nodded. “Yes, I’ve been able to find that too. They’re being kept securely so their powers can be studied, possibly copied. While I can keep unnoticed as a ghostly presence, the building they’re in seems very aware. Maybe not the building itself, but it feels like there’s sensitive eyes and ears in there. Even footsteps on the floor would be noticed.”

“They probably have security cameras and other precautions,” Calem said. “Our powers mostly hide us from being sensed by magic, so if they can detect vibrations in the floor, it’s not going to be any easier for me to get in there unnoticed.”

Allan nodded. “If you do go, you should assume that you’re noticed. But there was a reason I decided to come find you now. Part of their research has produced a shadow-like being. It’s like us Asari, but not quite the same. Not that long ago, it was sent out to cause trouble in the Lumiose streets. You should go find it, if only to get a clearer picture of what it is and what it’s capable of.”

There was school work to do, but he had the club work finished for now and it shouldn’t be a problem if he took a few hours until dinner to try finding this shadow. “I'll go look. Anything in particular I can use to pick it out?”

“Its aura won’t match what you see, that’s the best I can tell you,” Allan said apologetically. “But, it is like us: based on a human and I can find a light within the strange aura that must be its natural self.”

“All right, thanks for the help.” Allan seemed pleased with that, so he headed back to the Flare base to keep an eye on them. Yorick brought Calem back into the normal realm.

As he stepped away from the vending machine, he noticed that Orion was watching him. “What are you up to?” he asked. “You didn’t say anything.”

“Oh, sorry about that,” Calem said. “I was speaking to a ghost. Excuse me, but there’s something I need to be doing.”

“Okay,” the younger boy said, puzzled.

Calem put his school things away in his room, then activated the cowl and headed out to warp through the Lumiose streets. Something that was a shadow that didn’t match what it looked like… there were a lot of people walking around today, at their normal everyday business. Finding one shadow in this city could take longer than he had this afternoon.

Eventually, he came upon a suspicious scene. There was a pair of cops speaking with a group of three women, one of the women being taken care of by a paramedic. Not too far from them, there was a spooked Gogoat by a broken sign; one of the Gogoat handlers was trying to calm the Pokemon down. “It was a strangely dressed girl, I think,” one of the women said. “She had a weird black body suit on, like from those action shows my boys are into. While she didn’t look strong, she snapped that sign right off its post and beat on it loud enough to scare the Gogoat and knock her off. Then she ran off into that alley over there. I don’t know what she was up to; I’ve never seen anything like it.”

That might be it. Calem headed down the alley, hoping that the incident hadn’t taken place all that long ago. If this shadow was like them, then it could be tough to find it in this maze of alleyways as he wouldn’t be able to rely on his magic-based senses. Or… maybe he could. He noticed footsteps from three people further ahead. He was only looking for one, but went after those three to check on them.

It turned out to be Sina and Dexio in their heroic alter egos and a girl that matched the description from both the woman and Allan. She looked like a girl in a sleek black suit, her entire body covered save for a small portion near her nose to let her breathe. But her aura didn’t seem human at first, more like a fluid black shadow. He could sense her, which helped, but her intentions weren’t as easy to read as other people.

“You can’t be causing property damage in our city, missy,” Sina said. “Who are you and what do you want?”

“I am Essentia,” the girl said, her voice distorted by her suit so that it crackled like a failing radio. “I was…” the shadow shifted and Calem could sense her light for a moment before it was shaded with confusion again.

“You were what?” Dexio asked. There was some nervousness in him, so he must have realized the situation could turn serious. “If it’s trouble, we’re honor bound to stop you.”

“I will be the true hero against the darkness… lurking within the shadows. Train for when the time comes.” Even the distortion couldn’t hide her confusion here, but then she turned aggressive. “Your play will end today.” Essentia shifted her stance and gathered aura to one of her hands to cast.

Calem warped into the middle of things. “Hold it. Essentia, that suit is trying to control you, isn’t it?”

“Mmmm,” she replied, trembling. “I am the true hero. You are… the darkness.” Then she warped away down an alley to flee.

“She was scared, so I don’t know if I should chase her,” Calem said.

“Well whether she’s after trouble or in trouble, you’re the only one who can reach her,” Sina said. “Try to catch her!”

“All right,” he said, giving a nod before warping after her. She was taking short warps and being careful around corners. Between that and her shadowy aura that stood out here, it wasn’t hard to close the distance. He caught up to Essentia outside of Magenta Plaza, appearing between her and the open plaza. “Hang on, miss.”

“You are the darkness,” she repeated, but didn’t warp away. Her fear was keeping her on the spot, uncertain of what to do.

“Darkness doesn’t need to be evil,” Calem said. “I’d like to help you if you need it. Why did you break the sign and scare the Gogoat earlier? That’s not what a hero does.”

“Was told the darkness is growing,” she said, looking down. “It is, it is all around. But didn’t know what they really meant until you. You are the darkness I must defeat.”

So he now had a confused unprepared hero who was intent on fighting him, one who wouldn’t be as easy to convince to his side like Sina and Dexio. This wasn’t going to be fun, he thought. “I see. As long as it’s what you want to do and not what people are making you do.”

“Hey!” someone behind him shouted. Calem kept an eye on Essentia, but had a feeling that it was one of Flare’s members approaching. “Don’t be harassing our Lady Essentia!”

Calem warped past her so he could look at both of them. And it was one of Flare’s people, a man in their red suit. “She’s your responsibility, huh? Then you’d better take responsibility for the sign she broke over on North Boulevard. Also scared a taxi Gogoat badly, so you should have kept a closer eye on her so she doesn’t get a reputation for causing trouble.”

“I am the true hero,” Essentia said, still sounding unsure. She warped over to the man’s side.

“Right, she’s going to help save the world with us,” the man said, taking her hand. “Leave her be.” They then walked off towards Lysandre’s café.

She could warp like him and her aura was definitely reading like it shouldn’t. How sensitive were her senses? It might be something to test, to see if they could replicate his powers. But why would they? Thinking it would help, he went back to find Sina and Dexio, to tell them about this.

* * *

Essentia showed up a few more times in the following month, although Calem had to hear it from others or read it in the newspaper’s police reports. Sometimes she did help others, like guiding a few lost kids out of the underground tunnels and catacombs under the city. Sometimes she caused trouble, like drawing graffiti on the walls of the art museum. And sometimes, she managed to do both. Like yesterday, there was a report that she had stopped a purse-snatcher in a way that landed the thief in the hospital. If Team Flare meant her to be a hero on their side, they weren’t doing a good job teaching her.

On the day when Calem was running the club tournament to see who would be the club gym leader, an unexpected visitor showed up. Crystal and Orion were both trying out despite being new members. “Remember, we need to see some spirit!” Calem called as he held his hand up to hold the fight from starting. That was when he saw an Espurr standing in the doorway; it didn’t seem familiar as he didn’t think any of the current members had one.

“Right, me and my gemstone ladies are gonna rock you like you’ve never seen!” Crystal shouted, striking an eager posse. She certainly had the theatrics down, although Calem wasn’t sure about having the new members as the leader. He’d see how they did today.

He was especially uncertain about having a second year student as the club gym leader. Orion was every bit as haughty as usual. “Uh-huh, nope, I don’t think you have the class to stand a chance against someone like me.”

“What was that?!” Crystal said, angered and clenching her fists.

“Keep it civil,” Calem warned them. Once they both nodded, he brought his hand down. “Battle begin!” He then used a swisftstep to get out of the battle.

But he moved to the entrance in case they had a visitor with the Espurr. There wasn’t; the gray Pokemon was here on her own. “Mya?” She looked then walked right up to him.

“You want to talk with me?” Calem asked. The Pokemon nodded. “Okay, but it’ll have to wait a bit. See the Phantump and Mawile over there? They’re mine, so talk to them first. Don’t worry, they’re nice.”

The Espurr bowed to him, then went over to Heinrich and Starlet. That left Calem free to watch over the match between Crystal and Orion. While the latter had good strategy, the former started off with several accuracy reducing moves until most of his side’s attacks missed. Crystal also kept swapping between her three Carbinks, so it was tough to figure out how far along she was from losing any. This got her the win even though she had four Pokemon compared to Orion’s six. “All right, we are in the class known as kick ass,” Crystal said while the Carbink with her cheered.

“Accuracy reducing moves are not a valid strategy,” Orion said, peeved at the loss. “It just turns the match into luck.”

“It won the match,” Calem said. “That and her strong bonds with her Pokemon. Nice job, Crystal.”

“Thanks!” She grinned, then went to heal her Carbinks.

“Bonds are just an excuse,” Orion said, shaking his head.

“No, I think it’s a key part of getting ahead,” Calem said. But it was like talking to a brick wall, which was uncomfortably familiar. Something had to get through to him, but what?

“Calem?” Heinrich appeared by him, speaking quietly. “You really should hear what the Espurr has to say.”

“All right.” He checked on the time; it was a few minutes before when club normally let out, although it was common to have battles continue after the official end. “Hey guys, I’ve got something I need to do, sorry. So Laura, Jeremy, Crystal, and…” he considered which of the other three to keep, “Mike, can you four meet back here after six for the last battles?” They agreed, so he asked the club secretary to handle closing club up.

His Pokemon were over with the Espurr, trying to cheer it up apparently. Heinrich came over as he approached. “It seems that you’ve met this Pokemon a year ago, when it was stuck up a tree.”

“Did I?” Calem asked, then recalled that day with Sina and Dexio. “Oh right, the one Yorick helped me rescue.” He went over and crouched down with the group of Pokemon. “Hello Espurr. What do you need?”

She came over and offered a paw to him. When he took it, he briefly saw that memory from her point of view in the tree. It soon shifted to focus on her friend Emma. The girl seemed to be in trouble as the Espurr was worried about her. But when Calem saw what worried her, he saw Essentia. The mysterious girl hero was in one of her confused states, breaking a metal frame bed with a spell. Neither her nor the Espurr understood what kind of magic she was using, since it formed on its own without much guidance from Emma. Essentia was pretty much a stranger to the Espurr, keeping her friend hostage.

“So that’s what’s going on,” Calem said. “I thought… Essentia seems like she should be older than Emma is. Taller, at least.” The Espurr nodded. “Does Emma have much control over it?”

“Mya,” she shook her head.

“She says that her friend seems to be around less and less the longer she wears the Essentia suit,” Heinrich said. “She wasn’t sure what to do, but then she recognized a picture of you from when Essentia was talking about a person she had to defeat. That’s why she came to find you.”

“I see,” Calem said, coming up with an idea. “Oh, but I said I’d be back at six… not a lot of time, but maybe we can do something today. If not, it will start things so we can help Emma soon. Would you go with me, Espurr?” He explained his plan quickly, and the Espurr agreed.

A few minutes later, he headed off the academy grounds while carrying the Espurr. The feline Pokemon clung tight to him while he warped along the streets towards Magenta Plaza. There was no telling if Essentia was out on the Lumiose streets now, but that seemed to be the best place to find her. Or if not her, then the best place to grab the attention of Flare members who might send her after him.

It took some time of hanging around the area, watching the Flare members pace around the sidewalks. But then Essentia warped onto the plaza to face him. “You are the darkness I must…” she started to say, then stiffened as she recognized the Espurr in his arms.

“Mya!” the Espurr said, waving a paw to her.

Calem brought back the Espurr’s paw and held her close. “Yes, I’ve heard that it’s your mission,” he said. “Are you prepared to face such a foe?”

“Uh, Espurr,” she said, her natural voice showing a little stronger through the distortion. But then the shadow of the suit wrapped tightly around her. “You are a villain.”

“Can you catch me?” he asked, warping away into the alleyways.

Through his senses, he felt Emma panicking and Essentia struggling to find him. So her senses weren’t as strong as his. First he tried moving a warp target around near her, to see how well she could detect the aura of it. She warped into the side street, but not near his target. Taking a moment to think of a spell he hadn’t cast in a while, Calem called up on Ember and threw it down the alley to catch her attention.

Essentia did notice that, so warped into the alley with him. She sent an Aura Sphere attack after him. Watching that, he found that the suit was drawing on her aura to cast as directed by an AI linked to her mind. Did they mean for the AI to have this much power over Emma? Calem warped out of the attack, then said, “Careful, you might hit the Espurr too.”

“Uunngg, no,” Emma said, struggling against the AI. Essentia fought back, warping her over to Calem to attack closer. He warped further along the alley and caused her to chase him all the way out of the city, over to the old playground by the Nature Trail up to Laverre.

Getting out of another Aura Sphere, Calem ended up by the slide. “Are you sure this is what you want to do?” he asked.

“I will,” her suit crackled, stressed by the conflict on interests. “Defeat you and be… the one true hero of Lumiose.”

“What about your friend here?” he asked. He had no intention of hurting the Espurr and was trying to protect her from Essentia’s attacks. But Emma was struggling for control harder now, trying to save her Pokemon friend too.

“Nnnggh,” she shuddered. “Defeat… you….”

Taking a chance, Calem warped closer to her and put the Espurr down. As the Pokemon ran over to Essentia and Emma, Calem warped behind the girl. He couldn’t find a power line like he had with Aliana’s visor, but he had seen a hidden zipper around her neck. Calem got the hood of the suit off her, hoping to get a clearer picture of how to stop the Essentia suit with it split up.

Emma gasped. There was a breathing tube around her mouth and nose, with the electronics distorting her voice attached to her neck. However, Essentia’s main components seemed to be in the torso pieces. The suit did put itself to sleep now that the hood was off, taking away the shadowy aura that had disguised Emma’s. “Espurr…” she said wearily.

“Myaaaa,” the Pokemon cried, stopping just before Emma fell over. Then she hugged her friend at the shoulder.

“Are you okay Emma?” Calem asked, dismissing the cowl so that he was there in his academy uniform.

“Huh?” There were rings around her eyes and confusion in her voice. “Is Espurr okay? Did you rescue Espurr again?”

“Espurr’s fine,” he said. “And you?”

“I dunno,” she said. “I had a bad dream Espurr was in trouble. But, um, Nana…” she started sobbing, so Calem decided to call on the paramedics and stay with her while waiting on them.

_The police wouldn’t share the information they got from Emma with me, but her Espurr managed to sneak out to tell me instead. Emma didn’t remember clearly what happened when she had been in the Essentia suit, just some strange dreams where she didn’t connect the force of darkness she kept chasing to me. It had all started four months prior when Emma’s grandmother had passed away. Emma’s parents were gone as well. Before she could be taken to a foster home, she remembered a man named Xerosic speaking to her about being chosen to be a hero. She’d been too scared to speak up at the time, so she ended up put into the Essentia suit and couldn’t tell us why._

_Soon after Emma was taken into protective custody to keep her from Xerosic, several of the devices that drove Pokemon crazy were activated at once all across Kalos. They got taken out, but many people never heard that it was the machines causing it. Instead, they heard Team Flare’s abundant messages that these episodes were evidence from nature that Zygarde was coming to make a dangerous correction to the world. Of course, they claimed that they could appease him and people started to believe them as Flare members were seen as calming the wild Pokemon._

_If they had meant for Emma to do that, I’m glad we got her out early. It would have been even more of a nightmare for her to have encountered the crazed Pokemon. I just wish she hadn’t been involved at all._


	31. Constellations

_You’re wondering about that event gym that the battle club did that year? I never led it myself, first as an underclassman, then that year I stayed out, then when I had the arrangement with the school about what battles I could have with other students. Although that year, I did end up in a duel at that school club festival. I think it convinced more students that the arrangement I had was a good thing for them too._

After considering the club members, Calem chose Laura to lead the club gym at the festival, in part because it was her seventh year and in part because she’d been improving her connection to her Pokemon since last year. That was a good thing to encourage. She also had a lot of Pokemon that she rotated in and out of her team, nine total. Because of that, the theme for the gym was based around chance. Laura put together four aura-type themed groups of three out of her Pokemon, spinning a wheel to decide which team the challenger would face; there was even a small chance that the wheel would end up calling him over to face the challenger instead. Others acting as the gym trainers did the same kind of thing, flipping a coin to decide between two sets of their Pokemon to battle with.

This festival was to promote the school clubs and many took advantage of it to get new members. However, the Battle Club was the longest-established club at LMA and was one of the few that required a test to enter. They still put up an information table where Calem stationed himself, answering questions and encouraging some to try out. He wouldn’t tell them how to solve the entry puzzle, but there were a few that he gave a simple yes or no to about how they were trying.

It was fun watching other students trying to pass the club gym since it was built around chance this year. The boy who was about to battle Laura had been using primarily Flying aura Pokemon. “Come on, I want the Fight team,” he said, only for it to stop on Rock. “No!” A number of students watching nearby laughed or cheered for the boy to have better luck in battle.

“Sorry, that’s the way the wheel of fortune turns,” Laura said, getting her three Rock-type Pokemon. “Ready to battle?”

“Hey Calem,” a familiar voice said, drawing his attention from the battles nearby. It was Clemont, with his sister Bonnie. “Your school gym open for visitors too?”

“Hey Clemont, Bonnie,” Calem said, grinning. “Sure, I see no problem with that. Can’t wait to see how the others react to you showing up.”

He laughed. “Right! I got to be the club gym leader one year and we had Grant drop in on us. Oh man, that was fun, especially since he was being goofy that day with a group of low level Pokemon he was training up. So I thought I’d come by. What theme are you running?”

“We’re doing a fortune gym where all the teams are decided by luck,” he explained. “Some of the Pokemon have luck-based builds as well, to make things even more interesting.”

“That’d barely squeak by league rules, but it does sound interesting,” Clemont said.

“I’m going to try out for the academy next year, so you might have me then,” Bonnie said, grinning.

Calem shook his head. “Sorry, the club doesn’t take first-year students, so you’ll miss me. But I’m sure you’ll get in both when the time comes.”

“Told you so,” Clemont said.

“Oh, well I’ll find some other way to challenge you too,” Bonnie told Calem.

“I’m sure you will,” Calem said, nodding.

“He never did tell me why I couldn’t watch you two,” she said. “But I saw that it was the same way with all the rest.”

“Yeah, that’s because I have dangerous magic,” he said.

He was going to explain a little more, but then another pair came up to the table: one of the teachers and Orion. The younger boy seemed smug, which was worrisome. “Calem, I’ve come to challenge you to a magic duel today!”

“Did you get permission?” Calem asked, glancing at the teacher.

“I said it depended on your answer and if he was fine with the risk,” the teacher said, apologetic towards him. “But he has been asking nearly every weekend.”

It must have taken more pestering than that, Calem thought. Or the teacher was agreeing to it in hopes that it might temper Orion’s stubbornness some. “I see,” he said. “You do know the risk in fighting me, Orion?”

“There’s a risk any time you have a magic duel,” he said, apparently getting tired of saying that.

“Ah, no, there’s more than just normal risk in battling Calem,” Clemont said. “When he came to challenge me, we had to close down the whole of Centrico Plaza just in case. I don’t do that for any other challenger, not even strong ones.”

Before Orion could express his disbelief, Calem said, “He’s right. I’ve been trained as an assassin. I don’t want to kill, but there is a risk of death or serious injury any time I get into battle.”

“You’re exaggerating,” Orion said, although he’d been unnerved a little.

“Not at all. Although, the native magic on campus does interfere with my family’s power, so if I’ve got one of the teachers keeping an eye on me, it’s less of a risk than normal. And well, Clemont’s here and I know he could take me down if needed.”

“I'd rather not, but I could, easily,” Clemont said, nodding.

“So are you sure you want to face me in a magic duel?” Calem asked, looking at Orion.

“Yeah, I’m not scared of you,” Orion said.

“You will be,” Clemont said, then started looking over the gym the club had set up.

“We should wait until Laura’s done with this battle, so we can use her square,” Calem said.

A few minutes later, they gave Laura and her Pokemon a few minutes on break while Calem took over for his duel with Orion. For such a short time, more students had come by to watch out of curiosity. There were distant whispers in his mind, that his family could get him out of there if he broke out of his inhibitions and took Orion’s life for not believing in their power. But they were distant and easy to ignore. In pushing him so much, they’d taught him to tune them out almost entirely.

After making sure that the two spotters to the battle were ready and that they had working spirit orbs, Calem faced off against Orion. “Well, you’ve got what you wanted,” Calem said to him, causing a hush in the crowd around them. “I know you’ve won in some tournaments already, so I won’t be taking you lightly.”

“You’d better not,” Orion said. “Although I still don’t believe that you’re an assassin like you’ve been starting rumors about. A real assassin wouldn’t make it so obvious.”

“As I said, I don’t want to kill so I have no reason to hide it.” Calem clenched his right hand while summoning his dagger to it. The twisted metal blade and the ragged cowl on him, appearing in the blink of an eye to those watching, caused quite a few stares and comments. On seeing that, Orion seemed like he might believe it but was trying to stay cool and skeptical. “I’m ready. And you?”

“I’m ready,” Orion said, sounding more confident than he was.

“All right, let’s have a fair and clean duel,” the teacher said, standing by the edge of the square with his hand raised. “And three… two… one… begin!”

Calem started off by twirling his dagger around and calling on Rain Dance to fall precisely in the battle square and nowhere else. The lighting darkened around them, helping his cowl to blur him into the rain closely. Within the rain, a rainbow wave of Psywave tried to strike him. His alignment with Dark aura wasn’t quite enough to fully block Psychic aura, so he dodged it and waited. He was going to stick to his word and not take Orion lightly. However, he was going to give him a few attempts before starting to fight back.

Orion wasn’t certain where he was. In fact, most people watching weren’t sure where he was. Clemont and the teacher had found him by locating his gym proofs; Calem was pretty sure of that. Orion didn’t seem to think of that, as he tried to target a casting of Spark at him. Whatever tournaments he’d won, he wasn’t using powerful spells. His magic did show evidence of greater experience in casting than his age would suggest, so he might still be strong. After the Spark failed to hit, Orion called out, “Hey, you can’t dodge a spell like that, not in the rain.”

Warping a couple of feet from him, Calem replied, “You’re thinking of Thunder, not Spark. That doesn’t miss in rainy conditions.” Then he warped away before Orion could hit him with Psywave.

“You said you weren’t going to take me lightly!” Orion called.

“I’m not,” he said before warping again. “I’m observing.” On warping again, he cast Water Pulse at Orion while he was scrambling to think of something that could hit a moving target he couldn’t find. It didn’t break his spirit orb, but took him below half its power. A follow up hit with Shock Wave broke it fully.

“The winner is Calem,” the teacher called, clearing the rain away. Orion was still in the same place as he’d started, but Calem was standing in one of the corners behind him now. “I warned you that you were taking on more than you could handle.”

“Was he following the rules of school battles?” Orion asked. “I couldn’t find him half the time.”

“He did,” the teacher said. “He left an easy way to find him if you think about it.”

_Honestly, the loss didn’t make Orion any more cooperative at first. But it started to make him think beyond his normal pride._

* * *

_I first tried to reserve a match against Olympia in December over winter break, but the date I first wanted wasn’t available. The date she wanted was in late January, when school was back in session. While that made me wonder, she said it would be the best for us so I accepted it. The reason it had to be so late… yeah, that’s right. It was a widely watched challenge, since it was my seventh, where I could start using mega evolution. And so few people manage to get to that level that anyone who manages to get a seventh proof of magic invariably starts rumors of being a potential magic champion. But there was more going on in that match than you can see in a recording._

Last time he’d been here, it was when he’d been in the hospital. He glanced at his left hand on thinking of that, where he was missing his pinky finger. That had easy enough to learn to live without, not so much with what else had been lost. Now that he was back here with a coat and other winter gear, this was another beautiful town. It was built on a cliff over the northern sea, and some of it even extended over the sea on elevated platforms.

The floating walkways weren’t the only wonder around, though. The ancient crystal clock that AZ had given to his wife’s parents was still here, still keeping perfect time. Having lucked out with a class assignment with this clock as an option, Calem spent some time observing it. He could tell that magic didn’t run this clock; it was all in the materials that absorbed and redirected the rays of the sun. But to make it to such precision to work three thousand years later, that may have taken magic in absence of modern lasers and computers. The orange crystal it was made of felt like those in the Miracle Eye back at the academy. To him, it made sense as they would have been made with the same methods. But the only one who could tell him how that worked was AZ, if he wanted to share that old technique.

Once he had enough pictures and notes on the clock, he put his notebooks and pen away to walk over to the gym. It was on one of the platforms over the sea, quite a feat of engineering to get the support pillars strong enough to hold up the building, with its internal reinforcements to keep it sturdy against the spells and moves used inside it. It seemed rather small for a gym, though, appearing more like a gorgeous home.

The inside didn’t dispel that image at all, being a rather comfortable looking room. A fire crackled in a stone fireplace across from the entrance, with a couch and a couple of chairs around it. In the center of the room, there were the statues that marked this as an official Pokemon League gym; they held many names of winning challengers in the past months, engraved on plaques. There were a couple of wooden doors on opposite walls, although one had a sign marking that it was for gym staff only. There was a purple rug on the floor, but between the two statues, there was a rune circle that felt like teleportation magic. Another teleporting maze, like Laverre?

Olympia was waiting for him by one of the statues. The aura around her was potent, half her own and half that of the enchanted items that she wore. One was a long cape that seemed normal enough on the outside, but looked like a scrap of the night sky inside, complete with sparkling stars. There were also her bracelets, like golden hoops around her wrists. Held in place seemingly by her willpower, the bracelets didn’t touch her skin at all. “Welcome to my gym, Calem,” she said.

“Thank you, it’s great to meet you Olympia,” he said, shaking her hand.

She nodded slightly. “Yes, I’ve been intrigued by you for a while. You came to take my challenge sooner than I expected; you must have some reason for pushing through like this.”

“Yes, but it’s personal,” Calem said. If he knew it would just be Olympia hearing his answer, he might have told her a little of it. But given this was likely to be watched by others, he decided not to.

“Whatever the reason, it’s good to see a challenger excel like this,” Olympia said. “Now as to my challenge for you, we’ll be doing something unique this time. I have heard that you’re doing this in part to prove your skill to your family, and so I wanted something specifically for that. It could be simple, as you’ll need to defeat me in a battle much like you held against Wulfric a few months ago. A triples battle with trainers on support until one of the Pokemon falls, then the trainer is in direct battle. But it might not be simple. Follow me please.”

Something specifically for his Asari abilities… that could be why she wanted to see him at a higher level, so she had some time to design the challenge. Olympia went to the rune circle and immediately faded from view. Calem followed her into it and watched as the room around him unfolded itself into an entirely different space. No, it was like space itself, where dark skies wrapped around them completely. Stars shone brilliantly in that space, with a few comets orbiting around with glittering tails. The two statues were still there, but now the floor had been replaced with a vibrant blue glass. Coiling about in a spherical maze, it had teleport pads in distant ends and other colors of pathways wrapping around a central battle platform.

Olympia was there, as were three others: Valerie, Viola, and Korrina. “Hey, surprised to see us?” Korrina said with a big grin.

“I’m more surprised to see you without your skating gear on,” Calem said, smiling back. But this was a surprise. What were they up to?

“We don’t want her skating off into space here,” Valerie said, wearing a starry kimono to go along with the locale.

“Oh come on, I totally could solve this maze on skates,” Korrina insisted. “I will later if you don’t believe me!”

“Oo, I’ll have to stick around to see that,” Viola said. “Hey Calem, great to see you again.”

“You too, all of you,” he said.

“I invited them to help out today,” Olympia said. “Hmm, I suppose you can skate in here before I open the gym back up, but I will take no responsibility for accidents.”

“You ought to know that I’m not one to slip up on skates,” Korrina said confidently.

“But before that,” Olympia said, giving a small smile of amusement, “as I said, your goal here is to defeat me. But first, you’re going to have to find me. Normally I’d wait on the central platform, but not today. We’re going to hide who were are in a few minutes and move through the maze too. If you come onto the same stretch of path as one of us, you’ll be warped to the center to battle the one you meet, whether it’s really me or not. The challenge will end when you or I am defeated. Do you accept this challenge?”

Illusions where picking the wrong fight would be trouble; the other three could probably battle him as if they were on a seventh level challenge as well. Both Korrina and Valerie had beaten him before, and while he’d taken her on first, Viola could probably do the same. Olympia was the only one he had an advantage over. Still, “Sure, I’ll accept that,” he said.

Olympia nodded. “Good, then please return to the normal entrance for a few minutes. I’ll send you a sign when the challenge is ready to begin.”

While he waited, he considers this challenge. He should be able to detect who Olympia was past the illusion, or whatever trick they were going to use. Then again, they might be trying to purposely confuse him knowing what he could do. So he had to be prepared to fight the other three just in case, as well as Olympia afterward if he got lucky enough not to get knocked out. Her battle would be triples, so he had to pick the three for that battle, and the others… they should be able to handle the others. But he’d try to get right to Olympia first. Maybe even ignore the standard maze this time since they would be moving through the maze as well.

A chime from the statues told him it was time to start, so he walked into the transport circle again. The four leaders were not nearby; Calem walked along the strange walkway. Maybe it looked like glass, but it gave an electronic kind of sound that was nothing like glass. The stars shifted more rapidly as he walked along, betraying that this was a spherical room with rotating panels. It was still quite large, giving a mystical atmosphere.

After crossing a third of the outermost length, Calem spotted one of the women walking along a path underneath him, and a second on a path below that. They looked identical, in purple cloaks with large hoods much like Olympia’s cape. They also seemed identical to his senses, and not at all like Olympia. Rather, they felt like normal women with an aura undeveloped with magic study wearing that magical star cloak. Impressed by the illusion, he wondered if they’d tell him how it worked later.

But he had to figure out if one of them was Olympia before they got onto the same pathway as him. The one on the green path under his purple was heading right for a teleport pad that might bring her up here, so it had to be a quick judgment. They were identical… but their Pokemon weren’t and he could still identify the ones they had in their active team from their Pokeballs. The one on the blue path, jut outside the battle platform, had a Volcarona; that had to be Viola. And the one on the green path had a Lucario; that had to be Korrina and he had to get out of the way quickly or he would have to fight her. Calem warped over to another section of the purple path that Korrina couldn’t reach easily, then walked quickly to find the other two.

He spotted Valerie on a section of purple pathway that would eventually turn onto his path, recognizing her from her Florges. Korrina was on the purple paths as well now, so he warped over to a section of green path. However, he moved far enough around the sphere maze that he landed standing nearly sideways from how he’d been. His head complained for a moment about the abrupt change in balance, but he got his bearing after a second. Now where was Olympia?

He sensed someone who was further out than the purple pathway. But, that had been the outermost one, right? Calem looked over and saw that one of the cloaked women was seeming hovering out in thin air. He called on his dagger briefly because this needed more information. From that, he noticed that it was a hovering skill, meaning something had to be beneath her feet. There was another piece of path out there, this one clear so that the black starry background wasn’t affected much even from the side like this. But that would be an even greater shift in position going out there. She did have a Meowstic with her.

Bracing himself, Calem set a swiftstep target out on the clear path, landing in front of Olympia. There were some teleport pads up here, so theoretically this path could be reached from the maze. But they never said he couldn’t warp. “I’ve found you, Olympia.”

As soon as he got used to the change in position, they shifted again to the central battle platform. “Are you confident in your choice?” she asked, in a generic voice that was like none of them.

He nodded. “I am."

“Very well, then you will fight me,” she said, dispelling the illusion. As he expected, it was Olympia. “I suppose it was logical to look for me outside obvious areas, or perhaps our illusions were not as good as we hoped.”

“Your illusions worked great on yourselves,” Calem said. “But you didn’t obscure your Pokemon as well, so I just had to find the one with a pure Psychic type on her.”

“That’s good logic too,” she said, nodding. “Let’s begin.” She released her Meowstic on her left, beside a Slowking in the middle and a Sigilyph on the right.

Calem released Heinrich on his right, Nibbles in the center, and Swift on the left. He brought up Wide Guard to cover at the start, and it seemed Olympia had the same idea too. Right off the bat, Swift threw Smokescreen as she’d been asked too. It got blocked, but that was fine for now. “Nibbles, Swords Dance. Heinrich, hit the Sigilyph with your curse once the guard goes down, then the Slowking. Swift, you use Smokescreen again at the same time and keep at it.” He watched them, and the other Pokemon as they used moves like Calm Mind to prepare as well. Once his Phantump and Greninja made their moves, he brought up his left hand and focused on the mega ring. “Nibbles, time to give it your all! Thrash against the Sigilyph.”

Nibbles clicked happily and mega evolved. Flying rapidly, she snapped at the Sigilyph so hard that she came out with colored feathers stick to her spiky pincers. The Sigilyph’s Cosmic Power blessing should have softened the blow some, but Heinrich now knew a curse that would turn any aura into a Grass type and Nibbles’ aura in this state made her attack with flying aura. The Sigilyph was out now and Calem guided her berserk attack towards the Slowking once Hienrich had cursed him as well. The Slowking and Meowstic tried to attack, but Swift’s smokescreen irritated their eyes and made it hard for even them to aim. Swift kept using that attack s ordered, further reducing the capabilities of Olympia and her team.

However, Thrash had its downside. For all its power, it would eventually confuse Nibbles and Calem would have to spare some time to clear that up before she accidentally hurt one of her teammates. And the Meowstic was still a bit far from Heinrich on the battlefield; she wouldn’t be hit by Forest’s Curse easily. “Okay Heinrich, use your new spell against Olympia; if this is still going on when you’re done, go for Faint Attack against her.”

Heinrich nodded in acknowledgment and vanished from the battlefield. Phantom Force wasn’t a quick spell, but it was the most potent one he had. With him staying active, Calem focused on how Nibbles was doing. In spite of being turned Grass type, the Slowking was still on the field after her first attack with Thrash. She rammed into his face with her head on the second attack, taking him out then. Putting his thumb over the mega ring, Calem thought how she should be after the Meowstic next. The message got to her and she crashed herself into the white feline Pokemon, getting hit by her attack of Psychic as she was right next to the Meowstic. Between the attack and her own efforts, Nibbles wavered in the air. Calem could feel that she felt as if the room was spinning around her.

“Hang in there,” Calem said, casting the spell Heal to clear up her perception. “Now you’re after Olympia, if Heinrich doesn’t take out her spirit orb first.”

When Heinrich appeared behind Olympia to attack, the energy of his spell was a lot like being in a spooky forest and having cold wind blow suddenly. But while it was powerful and chilling, he didn’t have a lot of power as a Phantump to completely take out Olympia’s orb. Nibbles had power to spare while mega evolved, so her Façade was enough to finish the battle even without her under a status effect. They might have been able to do this without mega evolutions, Calem reflected. But they had another proof of magic now, which was what mattered.

“There’s been voices at the edge of our hearing, but you seem to have tuned them out,” Olympia said, bringing her hands together in front of her. She was just as calm and collected as she had been the whole time.

“It’s what I need to do,” Calem said, nodding.

“You’re doing well. When I’ve been preparing for this, I’ve had a few visions where you’re in the darkened streets of Lumiose….”

“I’ve heard of that.”

“You’ve been through a lot of tests, but that night won’t be a test,” Olympia said. “That night will be do or die for more than just you.”

_Viola was disappointed that I had seen through the ruse so quickly, but only because she wanted to battle me and my team when we were more skilled. But as it turned out, she had a membership to the Battle Chateau too, so we met up there the next weekend. She showed up with her sister, the reporter that I’d met in the graveyard when I got the dagger. And let me tell you, if I’d run into either of them during a gym challenge, I would’ve been in a lot of trouble with them. They’re both skilled Trainers and magic users._

_And yes, I didn’t have much trouble from the Asari in this battle. But afterwards, I did have some nightmares I’d rather not talk about, how I could have taken better advantage of the aura type match up there._


	32. Jungle in a Cave

_I didn’t get around to challenging Ramos until May, because I wanted to be prepared for him and whatever he came up with. Since the most challenging battles for me at the academy were the teachers at that point (and primarily those that taught the battle classes), I turned to the Battle Chateau for a lot of my training. That gave me a windfall of money, so I paid for some special training courses for my six main Pokemon at the time. Since we didn’t know how long Mortan and AZ would be around, I wasn’t relying on the Floette to be part of my team for my attempt at the championship. Although we suspected that if the dead were having trouble being put to rest with Yveltal captive, they too might continue on until we rescued the two gods._

_But we seemed to be making no progress on that front. I had not seen Lysandre in person since before Serena had died. From what we could find, I wasn’t alone in that. He’d stopped being seen in public and only gave occasional broadcasts over the holocaster network during that time. The police were being quiet, even on the issue of Emma and Essentia, or of the machines troubling wild Pokemon. That time seemed like a lot of waiting and it could get frustrating._

While one could reasonably walk from Lumiose to Laverre and back in one day (as long as one didn’t mind the marsh), it was a different story for Coumarine. The area to the northeast of Lumiose was a desert caused by the rain shadow of the smaller eastern mountain range. It was dry with dusty winds frequently blowing through. In that area, there were a group of power plants dedicated to keeping all of Kalos in steady electrical power. After several hours of getting through that, one would then have to climb the slopes to get to where the western half of Coumarine where the gym was. The eastern half was the one on the ocean. Calem took a train that would cross the distance in a few minutes.

Trevor came with him this time. “I’ve been seeing talk online that expecting couples are worried about some of the increases in troubles all over Kalos except in Lumiose, so it looks like they’re still holding Xerneas in the city. Yveltal too, what with talk of ghost sightings everywhere but there.”

“Not much we can do with that information right now,” Calem said. “I get people watching me if I go anywhere near Lysandre’s café and they keep it busy enough that it’s hard to snoop around in.”

“Tierno and I have tried, but no luck,” he said. “They could have an entrance in their store room where customers can’t see it, but I suspect the cupboard against the wall can be moved easier than it looks. There’s scuff marks on the floor and sometimes some footprints that go to and from there.”

“It’s been a while since I’ve been in there, but I think that’s right,” Calem said. “I’ve felt activity in the levels below the café before.”

“But getting in there when there’s not many to keep us from checking things out, I don’t think that’s going to happen,” Trevor said. “Even you might have trouble unless you could cast an illusion to make sure people couldn’t perceive you properly by sight too.”

“They might suspect that too as they could detect the illusion magic,” he pointed out. “Maybe if there was a way to get through the underground tunnels into their base, but I haven’t explored much of those beyond the catacombs near the school. We can’t even find Serena; this is going terribly.”

“Well Zygarde hasn’t been captured yet as far as we can tell,” Trevor said. “We need some new leads, or something we can make more visible. But then that’s trouble because we know they control the holocaster network.”

Calem nodded. That much was made obvious by Serena’s journal and how much the holocaster news stories avoided reports that would make Team Flare look bad. While they claimed neutrality, they did broadcast all of Lysandre’s public announcements and speeches while shunning all but the weakest opponents. “I have thought about looking around Geosenge again, now that I’ve gotten better at blocking out my ancestors.”

Before they could continue, there was a chime from the train. “Coumarine West station approaching. Please wait until we stop to leave your seat…”

“Guess this is where we split up for now,” Calem said. “Where do you want to meet up after my challenge?”

Trevor smiled. “Oh, about that, I’m going with you to the gym. No arguments about it, that’s what was decided.”

“Why?” he asked, worried. He didn’t like putting his friends in danger, part of the reason he was wary of meeting up with Team Flare when his friends were with him. Anger might blind him to who was around him.

“I know you don’t want to hurt me,” Trevor said. “But it came up when I went to talk with Ramos about taking an apprenticeship under him. He wanted me to have at least one proof before doing that, so it came up that you were going to challenge him soon and he asked me to come help out today.”

Hearing that, he was reminded of his own first time challenging a gym leader for a proof of magic, when Viola asked him to help out with Diantha’s last proof. Maybe this was the same kind of thing. “I see. Well it’ll be fun taking the challenge with one of you along.” Calem smiled; as long as he kept strong, Trevor wouldn’t be in any danger. “Did you get the apprenticeship?”

He laughed. “Well this was the one condition he asked of me, so yes, it’s all but set now. I’m going to be working with him over the summer. And I need to finally get that summer work requirement in for graduation too.”

“That’s great; I’m sure it’ll be fun.” The train stopped, so they headed out and talked on the way to the gym.

Coumarine was on several different levels, with buildings lined up along the various slopes up the mountain. The train station was on the lowest level, close to the long stone staircase heading down towards the desert below. Midway up through town, there was a tram station that headed to the port of Coumarine on the other side of the mountain; the normal train would head around the mountain and down towards Shalour. At the highest level of Coumarine was a large cave entrance into the town’s gym, as well as a hiking trail that led up to the peak.

Walking into Coumarine’s gym was like walking into an entirely different land. From the outside, it was part of the mountain at an altitude not far from the boundary where trees couldn’t grow. Inside, it was a humid jungle, with strong sunlight filtered through an emerald canopy of leaves. Vines grew to disguise stone walls; bushes outlined dirt paths in a manner that must have taken planning but seemed natural. A huge tree seemed to be growing in the center, but cavities and structures on it hinted that it was an artificial tree artfully made to mimic nature. After heading down the path to the main floor, the whole place seemed like it could be outside with the entrance leading into a cave, not out to a mountainside town.

Ramos met with them outside of the big tree. He seemed like a friendly old man, the sort that would affectionately be called grandpa even by those not related to him. Dressed in jean overalls with dusty tan gloves on his hands, he also seemed ordinary. But Calem noted his powerful aura presence, vibrant with experience. He was going to be a tough opponent.

“Hello boys, right on time,” Ramos said with a smile. “Did you explain things, Trevor?”

He nodded. “Yes, sir. I know about the restrictions, but I trust Calem.”

“It’s a little scary to have one of my friends nearby when there’s always that risk about me,” Calem said. “But I resist that every day, so I’ll be careful as always.”

“That’s sensible for both of you,” Ramos said. “Now, we have Calem here for your eighth proof and Trevor here on your first proof, as well as a test on if I’ll take you as an apprentice. You are quite an interesting pupil, but to make sure of your potential, I’ll be giving you a challenge higher than usual for a first level.”

“That’s fine,” Trevor said. He was being more confident than usual and Calem knew his friend was really looking forward to this opportunity. That made him happy to be able to help him prove himself to Ramos.

“Now, for your combined challenge,” Ramos said, waving one of his hands to the side. A pair of bushes pulled their branches inward in response, revealing a teleport pad hidden between them. “I’m going to send you two through a maze. You’ll want to stick together for the most part, as you’ll need to work together to solve it. All through the maze, I’ve placed two kinds of crystals making barriers and obstacles to block progress. The rule of the maze is that Calem can use the pyramid crystals and Trevor can use the spherical crystals. You can help each other solve the problems, but you must stick to the rule. Once you find your way to my battle room, you’ll both be facing me in traditional magic battles, the magician and one Pokemon fighting side by side, six Pokemon on a team at most. That suit you?”

“Sure, we can do that,” Trevor said.

“Yeah, sounds good,” Calem said.

“Good, then head on into the maze. Be seeing you.” Ramos then teleported away.

“This doesn’t sound hard for the two of us to finish,” Calem said.

“Right,” Trevor said, “so let’s go.”

On stepping onto the teleporter, they were sent further down the mountain. But Calem could tell that primarily through his aura sense, which told him that they were still in a cave underground. They were in a hedge maze, with tall bushes trimmed perfectly in place to form walls. There seemed to be a sunny sky overhead, with a light breeze scented with flowers. The bushes were real here, not troubled at all growing under an artificial sky. Being in it, Calem could see it was a remarkable testament to the leader’s skill in gardening.

“Hang on, I’ve been working on something,” Trevor said, bringing his right hand up and focusing his aura. A red tulip appeared. “There; this flower should last longer than mine normally do, so we can set it to mark which paths we’ve taken in case we get mixed up in here.”

“Good idea,” Calem said. “I can tell I can’t sense through the entire maze, but I can tell what the nearby paths are doing. There seems to be one of the crystals around the path on the left, but another on the path ahead.”

They decided on trying the path on the left, so Trevor left the tulip and the entrance to that one. After a u-turn around a bush line sticking out, they came to a stretch of path with a long gap in it. A net was a few feet down the gap, with a smooth wall on the far side so it’d be hard to climb up over there. But there was a floating platform with a pyramid crystal on it on the other side. While it was quite a distance to cast, Calem was able to activate the platform with Shock Wave so that it came over to bring them across. This brought them to another two paths, but both turned out to be short dead ends.

The rest of the maze continued like this. There were some other gaps, but there were also thorn walls that would come down if they found the crystal that controlled it. In most cases, the sphere crystals were easier to reach or activate than the pyramids. Or the puzzles would be harder if solved with the pyramids. Like one hallway had a line of magical barriers that would warp them back to the start of the hall if touched. And the barriers all had different timers for how long they would stay off when their controlling crystal was activated, so Calem had to shut them off in a certain order so they had time to run past.

Making a turn past the barrier hall, the light abruptly dimmed. The sounds of electronic snaps could be heard from above the hedge walls. A few cameras were suddenly malfunctioning, perhaps the lighting as well. “Did we do something we weren’t supposed to?” Trevor asked, slowing down.

“Don’t think it’s us,” Calem said, and then a burning fury filled his mind. It had been long enough since he’d been hit directly by this that it shocked him, long enough for the dagger to get summoned. “No, this is…” he tried to send the dagger back, but it remained in his hand.

_Friendship is a lie; he only stays with you to take advantage of what you ha_ _v_ _e. He’s sure to run and leave you behind now._

“What?” Trevor said, turning to him. He got concerned immediately, but didn’t run. Instead, he flicked his hand to summon a small notebook with a pen and wrote on a blank page. Then he stepped towards him and offered the notebook to him. “Here, try that. I’ve thought before that it might help you, but never got a chance to pass it along when I did.”

It was horrible how easily Calem could imagine killing him, but he took the notebook and tried not to touch his friend out of fear of setting himself off. There was a spell written in runes there, but no note on what it was. From the runes, it was primarily in the psychic aura and was a blessing meant to make the caster more powerful. More? “You sure about it?” he asked.

Trevor nodded. “Yeah, trust me on it.”

If he’d been thinking about this, he had to have considered how it might go wrong and decided to go ahead with it. “All right,” Calem said, tracing the runes in his mind to cast the spell.

The transition in his mind after using the spell was much like it used to be when it started raining around him, bringing a clarity and calmness to his mind to break the fog his ancestors were trying to put him under. It was Calm Mind, and as a result of it, he could find his own connection to the eldest Asari. Unlike the spirits who were pulled on thin strands of magic, his heritage was woven through his whole body and mind. It was something of a wonder that he hadn’t fallen to it yet as pervasive as the magic was. However, the connection itself was the same strand as the others. This one couldn’t be broken while he lived, but now that he could sense where it was connecting into his thoughts, he could easily shift his focus to block it off so he couldn’t hear the eldest now.

The hedge maze’s natural brightness then returned. “Guess that worked better than I thought,” Trevor said, smiling.

“Yeah, that works perfectly,” Calem said, making sure there was nothing else on the page.. Since there wasn’t, he tore it out and returned the notebook to Trevor. “Now I can cut him of properly when he tries to talk to me. Thanks, I’ll have to work on memorizing that soon.”

“I thought it’d help keep you calm when they were trying to make you angry,” his friend said, turning his attention back to the maze. “Blocking out the voices is even better… huh, there’s a teleporter over there. This must be the end of the maze then.”

“That’s great,” Calem said, checking ahead. “And… yeah, that teleporter goes back up to the main gym area at least. We just have to figure out this pit.”

It was a lot larger than the previous pits, as it took up an open space inside the hedge maze. A lot deeper too, with enchantments that made the fall to the netting and ladders safe. Ahead of them, there was a sphere crystal inside of a barrier, on top of a pillar in the pit. A floating platform was drifting around the pit, carrying a green pyramid crystal and a barrier with it. The teleporter and a second sphere crystal was on another platform supported by the far edge of the pit, with a barrier and hedges surrounding it. Next to them on the path they were on, there was a clear pyramid crystal.

“Is this like that earlier puzzle where the two different colored crystals would attract or repel each other depending on what spell you hit them with?” Trevor asked.

“Seems like it,” Calem said, then pointed out the barrier around the pillar. “Those barriers there, and by the teleporter, will block magic. I’m pretty sure I couldn’t even teleport into one unless I found a hole in their structure, and I doubt that. However, the barrier on the moving platform will let a person riding it pass through. The platform has a sensor on it, which will only let one person ride it. it’ll dump us off after a few seconds if we both got on it.”

“Seems like we need to have you control the movement of the platform while I ride it to activate the crystal on the pillar,” Trevor said. “That’ll take down the barrier around the teleporter, right?

“It should take down both barriers,” Calem said.

“Then I guess the normal solution after that is to get the first person across and have them control the platform from next to the teleporter,” Trevor said. “What aura types are on the crystals?”

“These clear ones are typeless, and the one on the platform is Grass type.” From there, it became a question of how to affect the grass crystal. Calem got the platform to approach them by casting Water Pulse on the clear crystal, on the thought that plants needed water. Since most plants burned easily, he cast Ember on the clear one to get the platform to move away. But the crystal he had didn’t set the platform on a set path, so he had to alternate his spells in order to get the platform to enter the pillar crystal’s barrier so Trevor could take down the teleporter’s barrier.

When they had to do it in reverse to get Calem over, Trevor used Ember to send it back and his flower creation spell to bring it to the exit. The teleporter there did bring them up to the top of the artificial tree in the main room, where Ramos’ battle platform was. It looked much like a gardener’s workspace, with shelves on all the round walls holding tools, buckets, reference books, boxes of seed packets, and even bags of dirt. Still, the room was large enough to be suitable as a battle grounds.

“Well done, and good teamwork,” Ramos said, nodding in approval. “Now you’ve got to prove yourselves in battle, in how well you can use magic and how well you work with your Pokemon. And don’t think you’re getting off easy by being in a Grass gym. Plants and the Pokemon affiliated with them can be tougher than they appear, breaking through the strongest wills with determination. Now Calem, are you going to take the first battle or let Trevor go first?”

He certainly wasn’t going to take this gym lightly, especially since he’d be involved in the battle. Still, he could make this a bit easier on Trevor by taking on Ramos as the first fight. “My team will take you on first. You all right with that, Trevor?”

“Sure, good luck,” Trevor said, heading over to a bench at the edge of the room to watch out of the way.

Ramos waved his hand and called up a Pokeball holder with the team he was using. Unlike some of the eighth level teams Calem had seen videos of, Ramos was using the full limit of six this time. The leader smiled. “Good… well I wasn’t expecting to see you this soon when we made the agreement to let you continue. But I hoped you would make it this far. When I was a kid, I was fascinated by stories of your great-grandfather from the war, so I’m interested to see these powers in action.”

“Well you have the fortune in seeing them without the same intent as before,” Calem said. “I’ve been looking forward to this challenge too.”

“Excellent, so we both seem to be ready?” When Calem nodded, Ramos said, “Then let the battle begin!” He called on a cottony Skiploom, floating in the air on leafy helicopter blades, then set a defense increasing spell on it.

Calem brought out Yorick, then clasped his mega ring. “Time to power up, Yorick! Hit ‘em with Dark Pulse.” He had to focus a few moments on getting the Gengar mega evolved, during which the Skiploom attempted to paralyze both of them. But then Yorick grew with his power and blasted everyone but Trevor (though that was close) with a wave of dark energy. While it did put some damage in Calem’s spirit orb, it did more to Ramos’, as well as nearly took out the Skiploom. With his Pokemon ready to handle most anything this gym could throw at them, Calem cast Rain Dance, then activated his cloak and warped a short distance away. The rain usually weakened fire aura spells so he was counting on Ramos deciding not to dismiss it.

Ramos healed up the Skiploom, but then Yorick hit it with Venoshock and knocked it out. The next Pokemon brought out was all thorny vines and a metal shell for a hull. As Calem thought, the leader kept the rain condition and cast Grassy Terrain. The Ferrothorn added to that by sinking its roots into the floor. And there was just enough dirt and nutrients in the floor that it was going to heal a substantial amount. Normally, the best tactic against it would be fire, but Calem had cut that possibility out already.

Fortunately, Yorick was good about lasting a while too. Calem warped by him to give him more specific instructions. “Confuse the Ferrothorn, then spam Dark Pulse until it goes down. Don’t worry about me; I’ll keep us both healed up.”

“Heh.” Yorick grinned toothily while sending up flickering lights to confuse the other Pokemon. Calem sent a Water Pulse at Ramos before warping off and waiting to heal.

The next three minutes were spent in a back and forth between Yorick and the Ferrothorn, with Calem and Ramos working to keep them healed up. When Calem started to notice thoughts of how to take a risk to turn this deadly, he cast Calm Mind to block out his ancestors again. This came right as his rain was fading. Yorick spent a few extra seconds focusing his power, then hit Ramos and the Ferrothorn with a particularly strong Dark Pulse, missing Calem entirely this time. Immediately noticing that Ramos’ spirit orb was low on power, Calem followed up with a Shock Wave instead of healing, taking the leader out of the battle.

Still, it was far from over. The confusion effect had been taken away already, but having Ramos out of the fight distracted the Ferrothorn for a moment. “Punch it!” Calem called, waiting a second to see if he should take advantage of the clear conditions to cast Ember or heal up Yorick. The Gengar was able to take out the Ferrothorn finally, so he did the latter.

Ramos called out a Victreebell without hesitation, probably with good reason as it has a Poison type aura too. The tall Pokemon seemed to smack its pitcher lid like lips and curl its vines in eager excitement. Seeing that in his opponent, Yorick cackled and sunk a little further into the floor playfully. The leader gave his orders quietly, to the Pokeball so the Victreebell would get the message. But with Calm Mind and his awareness, Calem still heard, “Don’t bother with the Gengar, try to hit the trainer with Toxic.”

That could be trouble, but Calem was quick to respond with Flash. It could work to use Confuse Ray and Hex, but then this Pokemon might be taken down faster still. “Go for Shadow Ball; hopefully you won’t have to use it twice.”

Happy with that, Yorick started gathering up a ball of ghost aura. Before then, the Victreebell closed its hurting eyes and attempted to target Calem by his voice. He warped out of the way before a sickly purple cloud tried to wrap around him. The Victreebell then lowered itself so that more of its vines were on the ground. Locating him by his footprints on the ground? Possibly, but Yorick was able to take it out with one hit of Shadow Ball, leaving it sprawled out on the ground for a second before it was recalled.

That momentary sight was enough to stir a disturbing sense of glee. If that had just been a death… they were still getting to him? Calem tried to put that image out of his mind and cast Calm Mind again. Maybe this wouldn’t work for long. Then cool raindrops hit his face, recalling him back to the moment in the leader’s battle room. On the other side of the arena, there was a Ludicolo, twirling about in a whirl of green, yellow, and red as an extra flourish in its Rain Dance spell. Why? Oh, it was going to get healed with the rain. Yorick sent spikes of Venoshock through it, then glanced over at Calem. “Geh?”

He warped closer to the Gengar. “I’m okay, I’ll be okay,” he said. “Keep at that; I’ll keep supporting you.”

Even if he said it, Yorick made a sad gurgle before focusing on battle with the Ludicolo. He’d rather Calem call off the battle if it meant avoiding a situation where Ramos would have to intervene like Valerie had. He might, but they were far enough along that he wanted to keep going. Recalling that Grant had kept him too busy to hear the Asari, Calem focused on the battle and tried to keep track of everything going on. Even Ramos turned to running this as a Pokemon battle instead and Trevor watching in awe (and trying occasionally to find Calem too). He cast Flash again, briefly lighting up the rainy room to where everyone seemed to be silhouettes.

The Ludicolo responded by bouncing up, then somehow jetting across the room surrounded in a shield of water. With the water bypassing the Gengar’s ghostly lack of substance, it crashed into Yorick and dealt a fair amount of damage. Yorick responded with Venoshock, but by the healing support of the rain, the Ludicolo barely hung on. Not wanting to risk a quick opponent coming out, Calem healed up Yorick before the Ludicolo bounded back and attacking with Water Jet again. It missed that time, letting Yorick take it out with a third Venoshock.

Getting tired from the long battle under mega evolution, Yorick took a deep breath and condensed himself to conserve a bit of energy. But no matter what Ramos called out now, his weariness might get the better of him. “Yorick, come out of that,” Calem said. “I’m bringing you out of the battle now.”

Yorick sighed as the brightness surrounded him, reverting him to his normal state. As he withdrew, Ramos called out a Chesnaught. Calem recognized it from illustrations, as Shauna had not yet gotten her Chespin to the point where it would evolve. At the same time, Percival came out on his own. A worried clatter told Calem why: Yorick had been concerned enough to ask him to come watch him.

“Thanks, but wait a moment,” Calem said quietly, then warped over closer to Ramos. As he did, he felt a tense anger trying to break through his current calmness. “Ramos, could I have a moment to ask something?”

The leader held up a hand to his Chesnaught, then nodded. “Fine, what’s the problem?”

Percival arrived next to him and hummed soothingly, trying to counter the foreign anger. “My Pokemon are concerned about me. Is it all right if this one stays out to keep an eye on me? He’s well-behaved, so he shouldn’t interfere unless outside forces get to me.”

“You think you can restrain their control for the remainder or would you accept a forfeit?” Ramos asked.

“I think I can,” Calem said. “If he has to intervene, then I will accept it as a forfeit.”

After giving it a short consideration, Ramos nodded. “All right. I trust the expression he has. We’ll start again once you make your next move.”

Having Percival keep close was going to make it harder to hide, but Ramos only had one more Pokemon besides the Chesnaught. Calem brought out Nibbles, then warped a short distance near her. Ramos immediately called out orders for the Chesnaught to boost its defense. With it still raining from the Ludicolo’s spell, Calem felt confident that they could finish this. But might as well finish on a high note. “Nibbles, your turn to power up! Then go for Thrash.”

The Pinsir clicked happily, excited to spread her wings again. The Chesnaught responded by covering itself in sharp needles before she started attacking him wildly. Wincing at he pain she was taking, Calem quickly brought up a defense boosting spell on her before healing her. The two Pokemon tussled in close quarters for half a minute, but the Chesnaught was brought down first. Even with the healing, Nibbles was still hurt. But she ignored it, waiting on Ramos to call out his next Pokemon before continuing her attack.

His last Pokemon was a Gogoat. Without the fancy adornments of the city and ranch Gogoats, this one stamped a hoof down, bracing itself for a tough battle. But it really didn’t have much of a chance facing off against a powered up Nibbles, as she struck it down before it could attack. That sort of power was wasted using it for sport like this.

Not letting that thought get a chance to sink in, Percival drew closer and touched him gently with his sash. That took some restraint, as the Aegislash’s natural aura normally caused it to drain aura from others on contact. “Thanks, I won’t give in to them easily,” he whispered so only the Pokemon heard.

“You and your team make quite a combination,” Ramos said, pleased with the battle. “That’s really taken you far, maybe even further.”

“Thanks,” Calem said to him, although he felt agitated as he could sense the Asari trying to take control of his emotions again. “I’m sorry, but I need a few minutes before I can really talk with you again.”

“Are you going to be all right, Calem?” Trevor asked, getting up from his seat and coming over.

‘Don’t make me hurt him,’ Calem thought sternly, pressing his fingernails into his palm. “Don’t worry, I’ve got Percival watching. You show Ramos your best.”

Trevor grinned. “Sure thing.”

_As I’ve mentioned, the first proof of magic is almost a freebie to students of magic, since the leaders are mostly seeing that the challenger can use spells suitably for battle. More importantly, Trevor had proven his skill, knowledge, and perseverance to Ramos well enough that he was accepted as the leader’s apprentice. I made sure that our classmates in homeroom knew about it and many congratulated him for getting the position. His parents were especially proud of him, calling him, me, and our friends over for dinner that night to celebrate._

_But of course, I got most of the attention at school for having earned my eighth proof of magic. All my teachers congratulated me on it, even those that I wasn’t taking classes from that year. And the other students would stop me to talk about it, even those I hadn’t really encountered before, like the first year students who gave me a handmade card for the accomplishment. I think it was on the last day of the sixth year that I joked with Shauna that I was giving second thoughts to challenging the Pokemon League that summer if this was the attention I was getting already. Although, I couldn’t back down at that point, not with Zygarde’s warning in mind._

_Ramos had used mostly basic spells during our battle, things I had learned at the academy already. Instead, he offered to teach me the spell Magical Leaf in recognition of my win. It’s a spell nearly identical to Shock Wave save for aura type._


	33. Public Image

There were just two more weeks of school left for this year, which meant it was time to be studying for finals as well as thinking over what classes to take next year. His last year at this school, which still seemed a bit unbelievable. The time had flown by, but so much had changed since he started.

Since the school year was running out, Calem was in Professor Sycamore’s office, discussing the final homeroom project and other subjects. “For a long time, you didn’t know what kind of career you’d be trying for,” the teacher said, slowly nudging his chair to turn back and forth during the talk. “But you’ve been a lot more focused this year, so has that changed?”

“I think so,” Calem said. “There’s things I still have to do here in Kalos, but I think I’d like to join the Global Police Force and work up to be one of their special agents. I think that’ll be one of the best uses of my abilities to help others, by taking on tasks that most people couldn’t accomplish.”

Some people might’ve thought that was an unrealistically high goal for a seventeen year old, but Sycamore grinned at that. “How exciting, becoming a globe-trotting agent of justice. I hear that training can be harsh, but I’m sure you can handle that. You’ve already passed my skills in combat, and in such short time too.”

Hearing that made him feel a little embarrassed. “I guess, but I don’t think I’d have come this far if I didn’t have my reasons for pushing my skills.” Like how he needed to successfully stand up to Lysandre and stop him even if it came to battle, yet not go too far with that. And he wouldn’t have felt the need to do that except for what had happened to Serena.

Sycamore nodded and moved on with another subject. “Of course. Now, for what you have in mind, the global police will surely want to put you through their combat courses, so I honestly don’t think you’ll need to take on the highest battle class. You’ve been honing your senses, but it wouldn’t hurt to get back into the Psionics class and study related techniques. It’d be good for investigations, as would another in-depth magic studies course or a foray into basic chemistry. With that, the recruiters should see a good knowledge base to build from with you.” He paused, then opened one of his desk drawers to take something out. “The final project I have for you is different from that, but I think it’ll still be useful to you. But I need to give you a pass to the labs.”

Noticing the pass it was, Calem raised an eyebrow. “The magic labs?”

“Right. There’s two parts to your assignments. First, you’ve been learning and mastering a number of spells in the past year. That’s good, but I want to see you take it a step further. The basic magic classes taught you about runes and how they are constructed into useable spells; some tests were even giving spells in rune form and having you describe what they do. What you’re going to do is take the spells you know and deconstruct their rune form to reconstruct into a similar but new spell, then learn that spell to where you can cast it smoothly.”

“Like with rune substitution?” he asked. “They said it could make the new spell unstable and you have to make sure the construction of the spell is proper. Then that’d be why I need the lab pass?”

He nodded. “Yes, that’s why, as you’ll need to do the testing and practice phase there.” After checking to make sure the pass was right, Sycamore passed it over to him.

“Okay, then what’s the second part?” That didn’t sound too bad, although if he got the spell wrong, it could be painful. Maybe it’d be okay to have another teacher check his form before he tried casting?

Sycamore smiled sheepishly. “Well, I’m having everyone be test subjects for a particular issue I’m researching. I’m sure you noticed that Valerie is capable of casting Fairy aura spells even though it’s a relatively new classification. Since I first contacted her, one of the things we’ve been working on is finding out what runes cause a shift to Fairy aura to better construct other Fairy spells into something humans can cast. We’ve got a few, so you’ll be testing out one of the spells with the Fairy runes to see how usable it is.”

“I might have some trouble with that due to my leaning towards Dark aura,” Calem said. “They certainly hurt a lot more then comparable spells when they hit me.”

“I’m giving you one of the weaker spells that a few others are trying as well,” Sycamore said, giving him a piece of paper the size of a business card. The runes were written neatly in the center. “But I am interested to see if you’ll manage, since people with particular type leanings are rare.”

While he did need the lab to test his spells, he could work on the formulas elsewhere. His room was nice, but dismal with the thought of the locks and security on it, so Calem usually did his homework in other areas of the school. He chose the study rooms, although not long after he got himself settled in at a chair and table, a group of younger students came in to use the holocaster to watch a news program, apparently for one of their assignments. While he would have preferred the room to be quiet, it wasn't hard to tune out the program to work on his spells.

The spells looked like words written with runes, but working on their construction was more like forming an instructional sentence rather than a single word. There was the base of the rune, modifications made to the rune, the connecting marks between runes, and the sequence of line work; any of that and sometimes other factors could change the meaning of the runes and thus function of a spell. Of his spells, one of the easiest to see a connection between was Shock Wave and Magical Leaf. They looked similar, including the power level rune and the accuracy enhancement modifications with an identical sequence. It was the aura type rune and that letter's connections that made them different, so it made sense that if he changed the type rune and made sure the connections were functional, it would change the spell. Likely the safest bet, but maybe it wouldn't count as much towards his grade as something tougher.

Calem wrote out a few spells, eventually noting that Antiwarp, Flash, and Wide Guard had some similarities. The first two inflicted status curses on an opponent's team while the third created a shield on the caster's team. Thinking on it, curses and blessings of this nature were practically the same thing. The effects of these spells made them efficient in team-based battles. Perhaps he could use them to construct a spell for other status curses like poison? Heal made inflicting status without damage a waste, but if it was a larger group like the Caster Triples he'd fought in Snowbelle, it could waste more of the opponent's time. Poison could work nicely that way, but he didn't know a poisoning spell. There was the confusion effect in Water Pulse and if he did build a water-based spell based on Shock Wave and Magical Leaf, it would be easier to deduct which rune in Pulse caused confusion as he'd gotten the spell without much explanation behind its construction.

Since it would be more work, Calem decided to aim for the confuse-all spell for his project. Although, it might cause some trouble demonstrating that in class. He made a note in his notebook to check the library for a curse blocking spell just in case. They could use a computer-based detection program to see if the confuse-all would have hit if the block wasn't in place.

Occasionally, the news program the others were watching drifted into his attention. It seemed that a couple of hours ago, a group called Muerta Lune had hacked into the holocaster network to set a message playing on loop until the officials could regain control of the network. Whoever spoke that message had a distorted voice, grating on Calem's ears every time they repeated it. “Geez, if they don't stop talking about this, Muetra Lune is going to be the only thing we can use for the current events report,” one of the students complained.

“And I betcha that those loonies just love this attention,” another said.

She had a point, Calem thought, as the news program kept playing clips of the message and talking about it with various people. He glanced over and saw the Muerta Lune speaker; he, she, or whoever it was had their face wrapped up tight in black bandages, one eye with a gold iris showing while the other had only a small peephole. “We will end all lies and strife with a fatal stroke, but fear not as this will only end all struggles and pain. The only true freedom is with death and we will make all free and equal.”

It sounded crazy to Calem, yet made him recall the warnings from Zygarde and Allan. The recently dead in Kalos had whatever cycle their souls went through disrupted with the capture of Yveltal. Because of that, they were potentially trouble from confusion or jealousy. Then, was this Muerta Lune group connected to that? That made him want to see the whole message for himself, and at that thought, he noticed the flag hanging behind the speaker: black with a full gold moon in the center, and a black five-petal flower much like the miracle flowers cut out of the moon. Same symbolism Zygarde used, all this talk about death, there was the one missing flower the god said was already used, and Serena gone missing...

“Is that Serena?” Calem wondered quietly. The bandages covered up the speaker's hair and the distortion made the voice unfamiliar. But then, this sounded nothing like what she would come up with and she didn't have gold eyes.

While he was wondering, another commenter came on air with the news team to talk about this hacking and the message: Lysandre. He was asked what he thought of this message. “The emergence of this death-obsessed cult is a clear sign of the hidden sickness running through the world that so many try to hide out of fear of admitting that things are wrong. People say that we're much better off in this so-called peaceful age as it's been several generations since the Great War and no grand conflict has come out in the world. But this peace is a lie, a facade of agreement and civility covering up fear, greed, and even hate. In trying to be acceptable, people suppress a great many feelings and beliefs that would run contrary to the perceived norm. When such emotions are kept locked up to stew in a community for years upon years, they break out into these extremists that follow complete illogic in their blinding passion. Then they attract impressionable young people who haven't formed a solid foundation of logic yet and raise them up into a fire to fight back against society. But in the end, it is those followers who watch their lives burn to ashes to such twisted ideals.”

That made Calem frown and look back at his notebook. Maybe he should get out of here and go work in the library instead. “If this is a symbol of a sickness in society,” the reporter said, “then do you believe that this group will not be alone in their outbursts in coming months?”

“I'm sure that will prove the truth, if nothing is done about the underlying problems quickly,” Lysandre replied with a nod. “I have been working with Team Flare for many years in order to fix those problems, but with the emergence of Muerta Lune now, it seems that we may have to change our tact to something more assertive and potent in order to stop this nonsense from spiraling out of control. For instance, we need to identify potential extremists and other dangerous persons before they gather too much influence and fame...”

“You could stop the fame by stopping all this talk about them,” one of the other students said, making the others laugh.

“...like the boy that's gained popularity lately in the Kalos League, Calem Joston,” Lysandre said.

“Wait, that Calem?” one of the students asked, shocked. Although, they didn't look his way even though he was in the room. Maybe they'd forgotten he was there?

“What makes him possibly dangerous?” the reporter asked.

“Aside from the methods he used to get as far as he has?” Lysandre asked as if that was an obvious warning sign right there (which, Calem had to admit, could be). “Joston was what his family changed their names to, as his name should be Calem Asari. You may recognize that name from the mysterious rain assassin of the Great War, Heinrich Asari. It's the name of a cursed tradition that even modern magic scholars cannot fully explain, being a power of death that none outside the family can understand or imitate. With the proof of his League performance, it's apparent that this young man, whom many people will be watching to see if he becomes the Magic Champion this very summer, could be an even deadlier monster than his famed ancestor. It was a mistake of the Kalos Pokemon League to allow him to participate and we can see, in the special exceptions they've made for him, that they are entirely aware of this threat and have done nothing to stop it from growing.”

Calem felt his cheeks burning in shame and anger. Why bring him up in this conversation about a new group of crazies out there? He slammed his notebook shut and put his things away, a bit more aggressive than needed. Then he left, the other students only giving him a momentary glance before realizing that Lysandre had been talking about him. Ignoring them, Calem went to find Professor Sycamore. He was tempted to do something to let out this anger, but just managed to tell himself that he should talk to someone with his teacher being the first to pop into mind.

Sycamore wasn't at the homeroom or his office there anymore, but Calem did track him down to the Pokemon lab in the southern part of Lumiose City. Some of his anger had faded from the walk here, but not all. Pacing around the office there, Calem burst out about the program when Sycamore agreed to talk with him. “There was just no logical reason to bring it up! Maybe if he had built up on his idea of dangerous people as leaders, but he went right from talking about why this Muetra Lune might not be unique to saying that I was dangerous and shouldn't be allowed to participate in the League. It had nothing to do with the League until then.”

“Be careful, because he might be trying to rile you up along with making your heritage common knowledge,” Sycamore said, leaning on his desk with his hand thoughtfully on his chin.

“I know,” Calem said, not as angry as he had been but still embarrassed.

“Then this wasn't that long ago?” Sycamore asked, turning around to check on his computer. “If you came right to find me.”

He nodded. “Right, I was in one of the study rooms by the cafeteria, which is where I went after class got out.”

“I've heard about the Muerta Lune hacking, since as you said, it was all they were talking about on the holocaster. But it only occurred this afternoon, shortly before classes let out I believe... right, around quarter to three. It's the first message from them too and they got Lysandre to comment about it.”

When Sycamore said it, Calem started to notice something fishy about it. “That is rather quick. Although, he invented the holocaster and owns the network, so he'd know immediately about a hacking and be able to get onto the program in a snap.”

“Right, but when I watched a few minutes of it, they seemed oddly organized for having just been hacked and regaining control. It's something I can't confirm, only suspect... bringing you up may have simply been talking about what was on his mind, although it might be worth it to review that discussion and see if the reporter was leading him.” He was quietly reading the screen for a moment, then shook his head. “Geez, Lysandre, I didn't want to work against you.”

“You were friends with him, right?” Calem asked, feeling a little uncomfortable as he sat on the green couch where he'd thrown his school bag down earlier. But the first time he'd met Lysandre was also the first time he'd met Augustine.

His teacher shrugged. “Not quite friends like you are with your classmates, but we often chatted in cafes and had long discussions on many subjects. I always admired his generosity and philanthropy, as it looked like he was working towards making the world into a more beautiful place. But then lately he's done so much that goes against who I thought he was, who most people think he is. He seems like someone who can change the world, doesn't he? I wanted to believe that'd he'd change it for the better. Still do in some ways, but right now it seems the opposite will be true.”

“I know a lot of people looked up to him, but I never really could,” he replied. “Definitely don't now.”

“I wish it could be something I could talk him out of, but don't think it'll happen. But for now, I think we need to keep him from putting you in a worse light in front of the world or else people will start to insist that the League nullify your badges and progress. And... yes! That'll be perfect."

“What will?” Calem asked.

Sycamore turned around, his smile beaming. “The War Dancer! It's coming out this weekend, with a special first showing in Lumiose on Friday. Being that he mentioned Heinrich, he may have unintentionally added to the hype surrounding the movie's release. Diantha's going to be at the showing and the release party, and I happen to know that she's been talking of inviting you to come to both. You can be certain that she knows the worth of good publicity, and that there will be all kinds of reporters there asking her questions about the movie and her work. If you appear at the party and she gives a good word in for you, that could very well ease the doubts that Lysandre is trying to sow about you.”

“Would she do that for me? I've spoken with her on a few occasions, but we don't really know each other.”

“I'd be surprised if she didn't offer to help without a hint from me,” Sycamore said in complete confidence.

_And he was right to be confident, as she called me that evening to discuss the release party and saying some good things to counter Lysandre. Diantha had heard about Flare's dangerous side from Richard, but in that call she said that if she were to speak openly against Lysandre, it would ruffle too many feathers and become 'a huge kerfuffle' as she put it. However, she came up with a plan and told me how to handle things._

_Told me what to say? No, not that far. She taught me what would be good tact to start putting doubt on Lysandre instead, but let me put it into my own words, using my own constraint and judgment. It wasn't easy, as I did sometimes think of taking a more aggressive stance in the public eye. That party was one of the things that helped prepare me for what was to come because of what she helped me to do._

* * *

In the time since he'd challenged Ramos, Calem had confirmed to himself that Calm Mind could help him, but it could also end up hindering him. The trouble was that he'd learned it simply off the rune sequence instead of studying it in-depth to fully understand it. The spell did calm his mind, partly through turning down tangential thoughts and focusing on what was before him instead. However, because he used magic to induce that tranquility before he learned how to reach that state of mind without magic, it wore off quickly as the tangential thoughts and feelings came back. In order to make it work so that he could completely tune out his ancestors for longer periods, he needed to learn to calm his mind without using Calm Mind first.

He talked with his dad about this on Friday evening as he was preparing for the movie premiere. “I've got a couple of books I've been studying on that, so that's one thing I'm going to be working on this month before I go to the League.”

“If you could get it not to be a double-edged sword, it'll be a good advantage there,” Shawn said over the speaker of Calem's cell phone. Since learning that Flare was probably listening in on holocaster calls, Calem had been trying to convince others to go back to phones. Certainly with his parents when they were talking about the Asari. “Keep yourself safe with it, but also bring up the power of your spells. Did you look into any that would increase defense against magical damage? That may affect your connection too.”

“The one I know of is Amnesia and I'm told it can make your thoughts foggy for a brief period,” he replied, adjusting the bowtie he was wearing for tonight in the mirror. He'd started the call partly to ask his father for some advice on it, but then Heinrich helped him. Since it seemed to be straight, he picked up his phone to take a picture of himself. “Look okay?” he mouthed to the Phantump.

“It's good,” Heinrich said, floating around to make sure other parts of Calem's new suit were straight too.

Shaun spoke around the same time. “Decreasing awareness... yeah, that could cause trouble too.”

“I've also got Mist to learn so I can use the large range status spells I've been working on lately. With those spells to practice and the move tutor work I want done with my team, it could be a few weeks before I even set foot on Victory Road. But I mean to get that done while school's out.” Calem checked on the photo, then sent it to his father. “Here, what do you think of this?”

“Wait a sec,” he said. There were a few seconds of quiet on the line before he laughed. “Nice, you're looking classy tonight.”

Calem smiled. “Thanks. I wanted to fit in for the movie, so I asked Heinrich to help me pick something out.”

“That's surprising. Wouldn't have suspected grandfather could have good taste like that.”

“Hey, if you're asking about fashion from my lifetime, I'm better than most people to ask,” Heinrich said, although he seemed more amused than insulted. “Because I lived then, even if I was insane for a few years there. Just don't ask me about fashion from any other time, I won't know where to start.”

“You have a point there,” Shaun said. “Hey Mary, check out this picture from Calem.”

“Oh, you're adorable!” she said happily.

“I'm not adorable,” Calem said, embarrassed. Was she going to say that if she showed it to her friends later on.

“Well you're my baby, so you're always adorable to me, but you are looking really nice tonight,” she said.

Heinrich chuckled while drifting around near the mirror. “You'd better not argue against that.”

“I won't.”

Then his mother had to ask, “Are you bringing along a date for such a big event?”

“Not exactly, but I got my three friends into the party and premiere too,” Calem said. “Didn't want to leave any of them out.” He spoke with his parents a few minutes longer, then headed out to meet up with Shauna, Teirno, and Trevor.

They had dressed up for the occasion too, although with a more modern angle than Calem. Trevor was the closest to being near that, as he had a simple brown suit with tan pin-striping. Being that he was now fourteen, he was getting around to being not the shortest in their homeroom. Lately he'd been changing his hairstyle often to find what he really wanted. His changes weren't quite as drastic as Teirno's, though. Teirno was still one of the bigger kids at the academy, but with his constant dance practice, it was a lot of lean muscle rather than fat anymore. His hair had stayed thin through the years, so now he'd taken to shaving it extra short instead of trying to work with it. Tonight, he was going with a rather loud orange shirt paired with white pants.

“Trying to be seen from a mile away?” Calem teased him as they started walking to the movie theater the premiere would be showing at.

“Two miles, actually,” Teirno said, grinning. “You want something that'll stand out more than Team Flare's red? Well here you go.”

“We'll give you some flags and have you guide down some planes!” Shauna said. She could still be called the spunky short girl as she was now the shortest of their group. But she was also becoming an attractive young woman, especially in the dark pink and black dress with black heels she was wearing tonight.

“Or we could have you two dancing to some salsa music,” Calem said.

Laughing, Shauna twirled a bit. It was amazing that she could manage that in those shoes without wobbling. “Yeah! Though I didn't think I should show up as too much of a diva tonight. I don't want to outshine Diantha and the other movie stars at their event. But just you wait until I get to be the star and really light up the night.”

“I didn't think about that,” Tierno said. “I just wanted to have more color than most guys have.”

“You've got enough color for the three of us,” Calem said, then glanced over at Trevor. He didn't seem to be fully paying attention to the conversation. “Right Trev?”

“Huh?” He looked up. “I guess.”

“What's on your mind?' Shauna asked, walking backwards at the front of the group briefly before turning to make sure she didn't walk off the sidewalk where it met the next street.

“That Muerta Lune group released another statement this afternoon,” he said. “It's much the same as the last one, that the living world is unjust and cruel, but a world of the dead would be one of total peace.”

“It's really crazy stuff,” Teirno said.

“Yeah,” Shauna said with a nod. “Cause how can you enjoy peace if you're dead and not around for it? And you always hear of ghosts moaning and wailing, with only the real troublesome and dangerous ones seeming to have fun. That doesn't sound too peaceful.”

“That makes more sense than they do,” Trevor said. “But I've been thinking about it and... do you think that the leader of their group might be Serena?”

“Serena was stubborn, maybe short-sighted,” Shuana said. “But I don't think she was quite that crazy or fatalistic. Well maybe a bit of that, but she was trying to fix it in her own way.”

“But their symbol seems to be a strong reference to the miracle flower she had when she died, only black,” Trevor said, tapping a finger on his arm. He seemed to have been thinking about this for a while. “And like what Zygarde told us of what might be coming. Muerta's leader always speaks with that voice altering effect, but it does sound more like a girl. And back to Zygarde, he said what was coming was unusual. Yet it might also be something like Mortan being AZ's Floette Lukan. Serena went missing from a tomb where the only way to open it is a key unlocked by one of her family.”

“She couldn't have done it herself since she was in the tomb,” Teirno said.

“But someone like Lysandre might be able to get the key, even as a distant relative,” Trevor said. “They're supposed to be trying to mimic the effects of the gods too so... it seems possible that he or someone else could have gotten her out and the miracle flower had already brought her back to life. And now she'd be trying to disguise herself... although I don't know why she'd do something as crazy as what Muetra Lune seems to be doing in advocating a world of death.”

“The dead are being restless lately as Yveltal's been taken from them,” Calem said. “You remember Allan? He's had practice in keeping his self together being tied to the Asari spirits, but other departed souls don't. Allan says there's a lot of confusion and discontent in the realm of spirits now.”

“So if she is back to life, sort of, and still has her body, maybe she acts as a leader of the dead while Yveltal isn't around?” Shauna asked, wondering aloud. “That's so weird to think about, that one of my friends became queen of the dead.”

“I don't know if that's funny or horrifying,” Teirno said, scratching his head.

“Although there's one discrepancy in this theory,” Calem said. “Muerta Lune's leader has gold eyes, where Serena had gray eyes.”

“Contacts?” Shauna suggested.

“It could be an effect of whatever magic keeps her alive when she should be dead,” Trevor said. “People who've been overtaken by powerful magic have been recorded as having their eyes change color from it. I'm also worried that we haven't found that seventh flower yet. Shauna and I tried asking some of the students who study locate spells if they can track it down based on the one she has, but we've gotten predictable but vague answers like Lumiose and Geosenge.”

“Well it might support the idea that Lysandre has it,” Calem said. “Or another member of Team Flare because that's where they're most active lately.”

“But getting them to talk when you really don't want to join them is pretty hard,” Teirno said. “They've gotten mad at me before for asking questions and it seems like now they won't talk to me at all. At least the kids in the Flare Club are snubbing me; haven't seen the adult members around in a couple weeks.”

“The kids are trying to make it really obvious too who they're snubbing,” Shauna said. “Although they're ignoring anybody else that they can't convince to join them. I've had to do a lot of convincing with the younger students to not believe in them.”

Something Teirno had said got Trevor thinking. “You know, I haven't seen any of the red suits this week either and I've been walking by Magenta Plaza to get to the train station most days. They would always have one or two of them standing around there trying to recruit. Haven't seen Mortan either. I mean, I know he's with AZ most of the time now, but we would see him at least once a week with you.”

“You're right,” Calem said, having not noticed that yet. “I should send some of my ghost Pokemon to check on them.”

Heinrich wanted to see the movie, and since it was about him, Yorick and Percival agreed to see if they could track them down. They didn't show back up until much later, when the premiere showing was over and the party was going on. Instead of bringing Mortan back, they came with Allan. The cafe they were holding the party at was big, but there were also a lot of people there. On a small stage, there was a band playing music from the movie while a few couples were showing others (including Shauna and Teirno) some popular dance styles from the Great War era. Elsewhere in the room, people were talking, snacking, or taking pictures. There was so much activity in the room that Calem, Heinrich, and Swift (his other Pokemon playing with others around the room) had to head into the hall leading to the bathrooms and staff area to talk with the ghosts.

“Did the two of them get captured?” Calem asked in concern.

Allan nodded. “Yes, I heard about it first early this morning. But they were brought to the Geosenge base instead of here. They've been moving most of their operations and people over there recently, leaving a splinter group called Death Moon in the Lumiose base."

“You mean Muerta Lune?” Heinrich asked.

“It isn't translated?” Allan asked, sounding puzzled. “Then yes, them.”

“Then they're backing this group even though Muetra's first public act was hacking their network?” Calem asked.

“It's a cover operation,” he confirmed. “Lysandre weeded out those with criminal and violent tendencies out of Team Flare and put them into Muerta Lune. These people have gone through some magical experiments intended to take out natural forms of aging and death. For the most part, the experiments have failed and they're left in a state where they're not alive but they're not dead either.”

“Huh, then we're dealing with zombies,” Calem said, part of his mind not convinced that this could be real. “I mean, they show up in stories and movies, but actual zombies?”

“I don't think that any of us have run into beings like that,” Heinrich said. “Hard to say for certain when we can't tap into the Asari's shared memory, but I'm pretty sure none of us have seen that before.”

“I was perplexed to see them like that too,” Allan said. “About your friends, they were trying to help Zygarde keep out of Team Flare's possession. But, that failed when Lysandre used the miracle flower to bind Zygarde into obeying him briefly. I had been investigating the Geosenge base when Percival found me; he and Yorick had me help them find AZ and Mortan, then they told us about it.”

“Then we'll need to rescue all of them as soon as we can,” Calem said, a little disappointed in that his efforts and plans would be too late to really matter.

However, both Percival and Yorick indicated the answer to that was no. “Not quite yet,” Allan said. “They said you have a week left in this school year, so finish that. Then you should go to Ice Cavern. While I'm not sure where that is, I thought you might.”

“I think I know the place,” Heinrich said. “Why there?”

“Team Flare has been taking many powerful Pokemon to act as sacrifices to the Geosenge machine, even stealing a portion from Trainers. However, they don't want them near the machine while they study Zygarde's power, as it might activate it prematurely if enough Pokemon life forces were near its core. They had been kept here in Lumiose in some computer storage from what I understand, but since it's now Muerta Lune's base, they've moved the computer machine keeping them into Ice Cavern in an area where few travelers would come across it. With them are AZ's other Pokemon.”

“Then he doesn't want to leave until he's sure they're safe,” Calem guessed.

Allan nodded. “Right, but we're still not sure where they're keeping Mortan. He might be with the other Pokemon, but I have a hunch he's not meant to be sacrificed with the others because of how he's been affected by the machine. Even so, the Pokemon deserve to be freed from Flare's plan and doing so will set their plans back a great deal. AZ also hopes that he can talk Lysandre out of using the machine, so we should give him time to attempt that.”

“All right, then we'll go after the Pokemon first,” Calem said. “I think I know where the place is too; maybe you can scout out there area before we have time to get there.”

“I'll see what I can do,” Allan said. “Also, I wanted to tell you something else about Muerta Lune, in particular its leader. She's not quite the same as the others.”

“Does she have a black miracle flower?” Calem asked, saying something he'd started suspecting.

“Yes, I guess you've heard of that,” the ghost said. “She was dead before she got reanimated, unlike the rest who should have died due to the enchantments. I can tell that much about her, but then things get complicated. You remember that device that was on the little girl? It's on Muerta Lune's leader now and because of that, she's difficult to read. But the miracle flower leaves a strong presence. She's going to be much stronger than the girl was, so be careful if you run into her.”

That made a stronger case for the leader being Serena, something that made him feel sick to realize it was the most likely scenario now. “I see. At least losing the Pokemon will delay Flare's main plans, because we might need to stop their Muerta Lune arm first.”

“This is important, but Swift says that Diantha is looking for you,” Heinrich said. “I'll tell Allan how to get to the cavern; you ready for this interview?”

Running his hand through his hair, Calem said, “I was before we started talking about this. Now I need to put it out of mind briefly so I can do what we planned on.”

Allan smiled. “You're going to undercut them with words, whereas either of us would have simply killed him for speaking out against one of us. It's unfortunate that most who see this won't realize how different and better this is.”

“I'm just hoping they see me in a more positive way again,” Calem said, setting his thoughts back to the plan. “All right, I'd rather have a bit more time, but I think I can do this. Thanks again, Allan.”

Heading back into the main party with Swift, Calem looked over the room. Diantha should be obvious, as she was wearing the most sparkling costume from the movie tonight: a sequined dark green dress with silk roses of red and blue, to go with Miss Roselia's stage name. It didn't take all that long to find her, talking animatedly with a reporter of a popular entertainment news program. Despite the noise in the cafe, the two of them could just about be heard at normal hearing as long as the person focused on them. Given that Swift was normally crouched low and would have had a harder time seeing through all the people, he wondered how she'd noticed that they were looking for him.

Once he got at the edge of the watching crowd, Diantha waved him closer. “Oh, here's the young fellow now. Hello Calem! You're looking quite handsome tonight.”

“Thanks, you look wonderful yourself,” Calem said, smiling.

“He's helped us a great deal with the movie since he's one of Miss Roselia's great-grandchildren,” Diantha said. “You wanted to help us portray her well, right?”

“Of course, I admired her a lot when she was alive and I wanted to honor her memory.”

After some talk about the movie and his great-grandmother, Diantha eventually asked him, “How's it going in your studies?”

“Just fine, though I've got the toughest year left. I'm hoping to join up the Global Police Force after I graduate.”

She nodded. “That sounds wonderful. Although there's been some rumors that you've been studying to be an assassin.”

“Well isn't that the best way to learn to stop an assassin, by knowing what they do?” he said jokingly. “I don't want to hurt people, but more than that, I don't want others to get hurt. That's why I was thinking of doing police work. Since it'd be helping people, I think it's a good way to pay some good deeds forward, like when Lysandre took care of my school fees when my family couldn't have handled it at the time I started.”

“Then you're one of his sponsored students? He really does do some wonderful things like that.”

“Yes he does,” Calem agreed. “He even got me doing volunteer work which really showed me how to make things better for those around me. Those little jobs had a lot of influence on how I see things now.”

_With those few kind words, we managed to put suspicion on Lysandre for suddenly turning on me. I still had some people wary of me but there was no major protest to my challenging the Elite 4 aside from some in Team Flare._


	34. Ice Cavern Rescue

_I’ve heard several different tales of what went on in the Ice Cavern at the time. Some were widely exaggerated, like there had been experiments done on the Pokemon that changed them for the rest of their lives. While there were a number of the Pokemon who'd been afraid or nervous because of the way they'd been captured, it wasn't that bad because we didn't let it get that bad. Sycamore had me meet up with the regional engineer for the Storage system, Cassius, in order to learn some about how Pokemon were digitally stored. With that information in mind, me and my friends met up in Dendille Town a couple days after school got out to carry out our plan._

There was a low mist in Dendille when they got off the train, a chilly breeze in the air in spite of it being the start of summer. Trevor explained it as, “Ice Cavern is like the Snowbelle Gym in that it's such a strong point of Ice aura that it cools down the surrounding area. So it can snow any time of the year in this town if the wind's right.”

“It certainly feels like winter around here,” Shauna said. “But you know, I’ve heard they've got some nice trick rails for skaters around town. If you're really good, you can do some crazy stunts.”

“I heard that too, wanted to try some of them out myself,” Teirno said, glancing around.

“I wanted to look at the windmill some,” Trevor said. “Think I’ll pass on the rails.”

“Maybe later,” Calem said, checking his phone for the information he'd saved. “I've got an appointment with a move tutor here to see what can be done for my team. We've got to be at the top of our game in a few weeks.”

Shauna nodded, bouncing with her steps. “Yeah! Oh hey, are you going to go for the training badges too? Because I know your team could totally go all the way to the top there too!”

“I've considered that,” he said with a smile.

With that, they split up on their errands. Any Flare member in town might be incognito so they had to appear like they were here on unrelated  tasks. Calem did have an appointment with the tutor, to consult with h er what his Pokemon could do either with some extra training, TMs, or the tutor's lessons. There were some interesting options, like giving Swift a blocking move or learning what all Heinrich could be capable of.  Since there were other things to do, he said he'd drop off Swift later about the Mat Block.

It hadn't taken long, so he activated his senses as he left the tutor's home. The Asari were watching as usual, but he didn't pick up on anyone else trying to do the same. On getting to a part of the upper walkways that was quiet, Calem brought out the cowl and warped over to a bridge that headed towards the cliffs where Ice Cavern was. There was a deep pit that a waterfall fell down, including some trees and what might be another entrance. Wild Pokemon were around but not many humans outside… there was also a familiar signal, something like the stone on the Mega Ring he wore.

Wanting to investigate that, Calem warped to within sight of a Mamoswine that was on the road. She backed up on noticing him, but was more concerned about the main entrance to Ice Cavern. “Hang on, Mamoswine, I don't mean you harm,” he said, then waved to Heinrich who had followed him. “He can help us talk. I was just wondering, you have a stone like I have.” He walked forward, holding out his left hand where the ring was.

The Mamoswine made a curious sound at that, coming closer to sniff it. “We all work with him,” Heinrich said. “Though I haven't done anything with the stone because I'm a special case.”

With some talk, they figured out that this Mamoswine was a successor of one of the forest guardians that Mewtwo had mentioned learning about mega evolution from. She was close friends with her partner Abomasnow which could mega evolve with the Mamoswine's help should the area around ice Cavern be threatened. The pair didn't remember why this had once been a special place; they just knew it was an inherited legacy that they protect it. However, she hadn't seen her partner in a few days, not since he had gone into the cavern to check into a disturbance other Pokemon had reported.

“That's part of the reason I'm here,” Calem said. “We're after some people who've been stealing and capturing a lot of powerful Pokemon for a really bad purpose. Have you seen them? They mostly wear bright red suits.”

“She can't see that well, but she remembers the bright color,” Heinrich said. The Mamoswine nudged him with her horn, causing him to add, “She wants to help if we can get her in to look for her partner.”

He'd been planning on sneaking it; having a Mamoswine along might make it hard to be sneaky. But maybe they could make this work. “Do you know the Ice Cavern well?” he asked. “If you do, we can make adjustments to the plan.”

W ith that change, he told the Mamoswine to hide out in the trees near the regular entrance while he wa r ped back to town to find his friends.  They were at a skating area where an outdoors heater kept ice from building up there. “ A re we good to go?” Shauna asked, skating over when she spotted him.

“Must be if you're out like this,” Tierno said.

“They don't seem to be aware of us yet,” Calem said. “And there's been a change of plans because I found one of the forest guardians; the other one might be in trouble, so I’ve got to sneak a Mamoswine into the cave.”

“How do you sneak a wild Mamoswine anywhere?” Trevor asked.

He shrugged. “By hoping that your part is enough to draw their attention. Once we're in, she should be capable of handling herself with me and my team supporting from the shadows. And when we find her partner, an Abomasnow, the two can help the latter mega evolve. From that point on, the major risk is them capturing one or both. I've got some ideas on handling that. You all still have the same role, so whenever you're ready.”

“Gotcha, we're on it,” Shauna said.

A few minutes later, Calem was hiding near the cave entrance with the Mamoswine. She was anxious to get started and he had to keep a hand on her to hold her back. His friends walked up the path like they were regular visitors. “If you want an Ice type, this is going to be the best place to find one,” Trevor said. “Especially the deeper you go.”

“I heard that if you've got an Eevee, you can get it to evolve into Glaceon here,” Shauna said. “They are so pretty, I thought about getting one. But then Sylveon is also a pretty evolution for Eevee, or Leafeon, or Umbreon… man, if I had an Eevee, I would so not be able to decide what to let it turn into!”

“They can be graceful movers,” Teirno said. “Like I saw a Vaporeon swimming once and that was so cool! But I’m more interested in regular dancing than swimming.”

“There's water dancing, that's a sport,” Trevor said. Then they entered the cavern and their conversation was cut off from hearing.

A few minutes later, Shauna came running out. “You won't!” she yelled. Trevor came out a short time after, followed by Tierno; the latter could run faster, but he must have kept with Trevor to make sure he didn't get left behind.

They were pursued by a Flare admin with two grunts. “Hey, give that back!” the admin yelled back.

“Okay, here we go,” Calem said, warping over to in front of the cavern and getting a good feel for what was right inside.

No humans or Pokemon were right in the first room, so he kept an eye on the group running away while the Mamoswine hurried as best as she could to get inside. They made it in and he was able to magically gather up the mist nearby and make it thicker right around the entrance. Nearby, Heinrich was quickly shifting snow around to make any tracks less noticeable. That might only buy them a few moments, but any more time was good.

Further inside, Ice Cavern became a winding tunnel of slick ice and cold streams. They started hearing voices from a couple of Flare members, probably grunts. “You may as well give up on them.”

“No I can't! They're good people, they're just suspicious of the team.” The Mamoswine picked up their scent and paused just before a corner, glancing back at him. “I know we're working to make a world of happiness and beauty, but I don't think I could be happy if they end up killed in all this. Isn't there some way to spare a few others so they can see how great Lysandre's plan is?”

Calem got up beside the Mamoswine, holding a finger up to wait. He could pick up some electrical signals from one direction, where they would be keeping the computer servers to store captive Pokemon. However, the Abomasnow was in a different direction, one he could tell  due to the mega stone he was holding. Getting to either goal would require getting past these grunts and he didn't want to get into a fight until they had the other guardian's assistance as well.

Not aware of them, the grunts continued their conversation as Calem sneaked around the corner. “No, being in Flare is the only guarantee that you're safe. Really, if they haven't joined up by now, they're taking their chances.”

“Well how are we supposed to be safe?”

He got an idea of how they were sitting and where they could see. They had a card table set up, for passing time during a long watch. Warping himself to under the table, Calem focused on his recent status rune study to set up a spell to put them both to sleep. It was more certain than the confuse spell.

“Lysandre's got it all under control, don't you,” he yawned, “worry. Man, some days are… just more dull… than others, you know?” Then they were both asleep. Calem felt a nudge to shut off the heat-generating shield they had up to keep warm on their watch. But no, not when they were asleep in this cave. Not even if the enchantment should wear off in five or ten minutes.

They had to cross one of the streams to get to where the Abomasnow was, but the Mamoswine was able to freeze up a block of ice for them to cross. After a few turns, they found a spot where a hole higher up let some sunlight in. The Abomasnow was hiding out there, some of its piney fur messy as it was injured. “Maaawaoo,” the Mamoswine called, nudging him.

“Gaaooouu,” the Abomasnow replied, patting her head. Then he looked at him.

“We're in here to rescue you and some other Pokemon that are being held captive by those people in red,” Calem said, searching his bag until he came up with a granola berry bar for Pokemon. “Here, you hungry? I can cast some curative magic too.”

The Abomasnow took the food gratefully and let him use Cure and Heal to make sure there weren't infections.  This helped him feel better, enough to agree to help fight for the mission. First, they scared off the two nearby guards by having him mega evolve into a  fiercer form. The guardians were even clever enough to hurry to a position closer to the tunnel further on so that the Flare grunts rushed towards the entrance instead of further in.

As they approached the cavern where Calem sensed the electricity, they heard more conversations. Like that the guards and scientist back there were alert to the guardians. “How does a Mamoswine sneak right by you?”

A faint voice like it came over a walkie-talkie responded, “I don't know sir, there were some kids who tried to get in, but we weren't outside that long.”

“You were gone long enough!”

“But still, that Abomasnow has finally showed its face again? Wonderful! We really need to get it.”

The Abomasnow snarled just at hearing that, quietly enough that their presence wasn't yet heard. There was a strong feeling of snow around them, his aura enough to freeze the moisture in the air into flakes. Thankfully, the pine Pokemon was skilled enough to hold the snow back until they were ready to strike. Calem checked out the area here as well. There was the scientist, not one that he'd met as far as he could tell. She had three grunts with her as well as an assistant who was near the storage server and generator. First, they needed to get that person away from the machines.

“B-but, it was even more powerful this time! We didn't stand a chance!”

“That's because you have no talent. We have to locate it...”

Calem tapped Yorick's Pokeball, getting the Gengar's attention. “We have to get that guy by the machines away. If we can freeze an ice wall in front of the equipment, we can drive them away better.”

The two guardians agreed that they could handle getting an ice wall up quick. Snickering, Yorick passed into the stone, then pinched at the assistant's ankles without coming out. The assistant yelped and jumped away, but not where they wanted. It took Yorick messing with the man's shadow by adding horns to get him to run away from the machine. Calem signaled the two guardians, letting them freeze off the machines before the Flare members could get back to them. With that up, the Abomasnow rushed out, followed by the Mamoswine.

As angry as the guardians were, the cavern was quickly blurred with heavy snow. “What's going on?!”

“Oh my word, this power! This is exactly the kind of Pokemon we're looking for!”

“It'll kill us!”

“No, it wouldn't, let's get it.”

Snow wasn't optimal, but Calem knew his abilities and could keep out of sight to watch over the battle. The Flare group was trying to battle the Abomasnow and Mamoswine to capture them, but the guardian pair were stronger than the Pokemon they had. Keeping hidden too, Yorick kept pinching ankles to unnerve them. It didn't take long for that to scare off the assistant and grunts. The scientist stuck around longer, but once her Pokemon were knocked out, she decided to get out of the cavern as well.

_From that point, it was just linking the device there to Cassius' server and letting him pull the Pokemon out to be returned to their owners. I had to leave the chamber until the Abomasnow guardian calmed down enough to stop making a blizzard indoors. The heater in the other room was still running, so I waited there for the police to show up. And to repay my efforts, they acknowledged that I had helped out with the case in the newspapers. The holocaster network didn't say a word about the incident._

_Shauna agreed to take care of AZ's Pokemon, except Mortan was not with them. And it wasn't like any other Pokemon we might be able to track down by magic. As a servant of the gods, Mortan would be hidden from most searches._

* * *

_Early that summer, I was most focused on the Championship. I had to train myself, make sure my teamwork with my Pokemon was good, and continue keeping my public image good. There were some small things I did towards that, like talking to a kid's Trainer club about Pokemon training and volunteer work around the region. But since Lysandre was speaking against me, opinions remained split, shifting between us of which was favored. And then there was Muerta Lune spreading their apocalyptic message._

Victory Road here was made up of a trail that winded in, out, and around an old mountain. Some portions were modern structures, like the enchanted gateway that served as a badge check at the start. At other points, the structures looked more like they were from the days of the Great War or just after, like the brick bridge that crossed in front of a cascading waterfall. And one of the interior passages had some signs of medieval use, mostly in the murals on the walls and a shrine in a side cavern, maybe even with the torches that were kept working. Then there were the ancient ruins from the days of AZ and Mortan, partial stone walls and fortifications, even some watch towers. All this history blended together made this feel like a cherished place with reminders of many generations of people and Pokémon.

While it had a badge check gate, that wasn't the only way onto Victory Road. Those who weren't out to be League challengers would come up here. Even some tourists or students who wanted to see the remnants of past ages; Calem usually just gave them a greeting, maybe some directions to things he'd seen while exploring around. When it came to those who were looking for Pokemon battles or magic duels, he always asked, “Are you sure? I'm after the position of Magic Champion.”

This evening, it was a man his father's age. “Yeah,” he said. “I usually challenge the young folks who think they can take that position to see if they're really up to snuff. And with all of what's being said about you, I have to see your skill for myself. Are you really trained to be an assassin?”

He didn't bother to lie about it. “Yes, though I don't mean to put it to its intended use.” He called his dagger out, holding it up in front of him. “As long as my skin is unmarked, I have not yet killed.”

“That's how that kind of thing goes,” he said, touching a beaded necklace he wore. “All right, let's see what you've got.”

“Sure thing.”

Because battles like this didn't need to be restrained by League regulations, this man was able to use some interesting tactics to track him down once Calem blurred into the surroundings. He explained that some Pokemon could use a camouflaging skill, for which he'd learned how to counter in trying to track one down as a teammate. By using a field enchantment, this veteran was able to find Calem as an anomaly within the enchantment's area of effect, even if only for a couple of seconds before the cowl's enchantment kicked in. It was a close match that Calem won primarily because the man still wasn't expecting him to be able to move and attack so fast.

Calem replayed that duel in his mind once the man was gone, staying in a fragment of a room that held a weathered stone table. Field enchantments… he knew the current Elite Four were capable of such spells and used them on occasion. While he'd used a couple himself, if it was able to be used as a tool to locate him indirectly, he should be careful of using them now. Or figure some way to camouflage immediately after a field enchantment was put into play. Maybe he should spend some time alternating Grassy Terrain and Fog to get some practice in.

As he tried that a few times, his Pokemon started coming back to him. The sun was gone and stars were filling the sky. It had been a nice day, so he had let his team roam about fighting wild Pokemon on their own. While some other Trainers thought that a lazy way of training, his Pokemon needed to be capable of independent action should he lose control. He'd been doing well, but that could change quickly.

“You should be getting back to Shalour now,” Heinrich said, drifting over the table.

“All right,” Calem said, taking a moment to focus his mind. The day's practice was over, it was time to shift to slowing down for sleep. Release tension from fighting… there were five Pokemon with him. “Where's Swift?” he asked, turning to where the others were waiting.

This caused some wondering chatter among the other Pokemon, with Starlet snapping her large jaw and pointing up at one point. “She was training against a Fearow last Starlet and I saw her,” Heinrich said. “We saw her in different parts of the stream around here, though.”

Getting out her Pokeball, Calem noticed that she was alert and a little hurt. Nothing that the Pokeball would warn him about. He tapped it and said, “Hey, you coming back?” That should at least let her know that he was looking for her.

In seconds, she appeared on one of the broken walls and jumped over to them. “Kurrurururu,” she warned, warily looking off towards the way back down the mountain.

“Is someone coming?” Calem said, tapping his forehead and refreshing his senses. And there was… something approaching, something with a very low aura presence. What was there was a figure of emotionless death.

Heinrich came alert to it too, while the rest were simply unsettled by their reactions. “That's not our magic,” the Phantump said, drifting over into darker shadows. “It's not Yveltal either, though it's closer to him than us.”

“Let's see what it is,” he said. “But if this is bad, I'm recalling you all and warping over to the train station.”

It didn't take long for a single person to appear, walking along the footpath through the scattered walls. It was a teenaged girl, dressed entirely in black so that not a bit of her skin showed. From the black bandages on her head, where only a few strands of honey blond hair slipped through, he recognized her as very like the Muerta Lune leader. Several long strands of the bandaging trailed behind her back and a slim machine was placed at her neck. Other machines were implanted in the body suit she wore, much like the Essentia suit.

“What are you doing out here?” Calem asked, moving towards her so that he was closer than his Pokemon to her.

The one gold eye that was showing looked around at his crew, then at him. She had the same distorted voice as when she spoke on holocaster. “Looking for you, Calem.”

“Is that you, Serena?” he asked.

“Indeed.” She didn't move right, or smell right. Walking gingerly like someone who wasn't sure of their balance, she came right up to him and held out her hand. “I need you.”

Calem held up his hands to stop her. “Hey, first of all, what are you doing here? You died to summon Yveltal, I saw that scene. And you were put in a closed stone tomb, how are you here?”

Reaching up, she shifted one of the bandages aside to reveal a small five-petaled flower. It wasn't the same as Mortan's, but it was just as black. “That's the miracle I got. Someone was kind enough to check on me the night I awoke to let me out. Of course, I have new limitations. New powers as well. But I can't do all of what's needed. You're the one. Please, come with me.”

He shook his head. “No, I can't. Not with all the stuff you've been preaching about making death conquer the world or whatever. What are you really after? A world of death couldn't last.”

“You misunderstand,” Serena said. She wasn't speaking haughtily like she used to. Rather, her voice was much like her aura now, distorted and eerily emotionless. “I am after a world where beauty never fades, where happiness won't end. But in order to reach that place, the callous world we live in now must be conquered by death. It must be renewed in rebirth, eradicating the sickness that keeps it from being what it should be.”

“Well then what do you want me for?” he asked, feeling like he was talking to a stranger rather than an old crush. “If you want me to conquer the world with death, I’ll end up as a faceless monstrosity, not something that would fit into your world of beauty. I won't agree to killing people anyhow. Nothing is worth the price I and everyone else around me would pay.”

“Making a new world is worth any price, even my own life,” she said. “Are you going to make the price of my death become worthless? This is a chance unlike any other to set things right.”

Calem pointed towards the flower. “You negated your own death, that's not a real sacrifice even if it wasn't your intention. And I don't think things need to be set right; the world is good as it is.”

“No it isn't. Remember when our class was told about the apprenticeship but only one of us could actually be accepted? When resources are limited, people will compete over them. As space and resources become even more limited, the competition will only increase.”

“Isn't that Lysandre's line of thinking?” he asked. “And our class worked together for that apprenticeship. Sure, there was only the one ring available, but it was handled peacefully. We can figure things out.”

She made a motion like she was going to shake her head, but something stopped her. Maybe the bandages were constricting. “In time, it will become clear that good intentions are not enough. I would rather things not progress to such a horrible state. Calem, we've worked together before, we can work together again to see to a goal better than any other. Even on the day we met, we worked together.”

Remembering that made him frown. “Not really. I was fooled at the time; back then, you were just looking for someone to stomp in battle to impress the admissions committee. Why else would you not tell me what was going on when I clearly didn't have a clue what the tests were for? If you were really trying to help, you would have told me it was for the academy right off.”

“It worked out well for both of us, don't hold grudges,” she said, still not showing emotion. Because even with her face covered, surely something would show in her voice, the one eye, and the way she moved.

“It's not that,” he said, trying to keep himself from getting angry by looking aside. “What I mean is that you lost my trust over the years. While I would've liked it if we could fix things while you were alive, now you're not human and remorselessly talking about destroying lives for your goals. I won't work with you.”

She stared at him silently for a few seconds. Then she started gathering aura. “You freed the Pokemon in the Ice Cavern.”

Percival came up to his side, Yorick dropped below the group to creep up, and the rest made similar measures. “Of course I did. I'm not going to let your group or Flare sacrifice a bunch of innocent Pokemon for an insane scheme.”

“That puts us in a bad position. We can't move forward with our plans, yet we cannot delay. While our planned time is not yet, we cannot recover and we cannot let you go free to delay us even more. Thus, you must help me. There is no other option.”

Percival rang his blade against his shield, flipping his sash out to a ready position. Even Nibbles caught on and buzzed her wings in warning. “I won't,” Calem said firmly.

“What is going on with your Pokemon?” Serena asked, keeping her spell at ready but trying to shuffle into a more defensive position.

“Something you wouldn't understand,” he said. “You dismissed the bonds between humans and Pokemon, thinking it was just an excuse for a lack of talent, as you said. But my team is my family. We won't let one of our own be hurt.”

“Precisely,” a different voice said from nearby. There was seemingly no one else there and it didn't sound like Heinrich. But in his blood, Calem felt hatred and cruelty trying to overcome him. There was a flash of metal…

And Serena cast faster, sending a web of neon blue to capture an inhuman figure lurking in the shadows. Asari screamed in rage and tried to slash his way out; the spell reacted by paralyzing him. Once it did, the link of blood faded to let Calem calm down. “You?!” he said, not sure what he'd seen had really happened.

Serena turned to Asari. “Exactly. A human of legend, the assassin whose bloodline can kill even the gods with magical powers tuned to death. You tricked your patron goddess and still hold the souls of her and her sisters at your mercy. With that kind of power, you should suffice to finish activating the machine.”

“That's an even worse idea,” Calem said, calling up a spell to break the web. But then Serena teleported away, taking the faceless man with her. “Serena!”

“On one hand, it would get rid of him,” Heinrich said, coming out of the shadows. “But on the other hand, hooking him up to to that machine as a sacrifice would bring in all the others of our family still under his control. If he does still hold the souls of the goddesses too, then they can surely activate that old machine.”

“I can't believe I have to go rescue our patriarch,” Calem said, rubbing his forehead. “But we can't let them do that. Come on, I'm gonna have to put you away and get to Geosenge.” Most of them went back to their Pokeballs after an affirmation, although Swift and Heinrich stayed out to travel with him.

As Serena had used a different method of teleporting, Calem couldn't exactly follow her. But she'd either go to Lumiose or Geosenge. Making sure to set up targets for his Pokemon too, he used swiftstep to get back to Lumiose to check there first. They knew that Team Flare had a base or laboratory underneath Lysandre's cafe and Allan reported that Muetra Lune was using it now. Heinrich had trained him in this move in the city, so Calem knew what ways to cut across to get to Magenta Plaza quickest.

But right as he arrived, the lights of the city winked out and the aura of death began to rise.


	35. The Ultimate Weapon

_Yes, that explains how things went that night. It was a time that pushed my abilities because I needed to stop them from carrying out this mad scheme. And all of them were involved. Serena wasn't who she'd been, Lysandre wasn't who he presented himself to be, and Xerostic did not care what happened as long as his work was successful. While there were a lot of sides to that event, I can only tell my own. But that is the piece that most people have been missing, isn't it?_

It felt like an entirely different place with the full moon as the main illumination. Formerly friendly facades turned sinister,  with pale cool colors and black reigning. When Calem arrived on the southern boulevard, there were still some people outside. They should be lively and happy, enjoying the night life, but now they were confused and afraid.  Among then, ghostly lights flickered and formed into twisted  echoes  of their former selves. A woman with six arms (all of them with claws and spikes), a man all stretched out (especially his lips), some kind of Pokemon that was all black bones and broken scales; this was a living nightmare.

Worse than that, there were so many of them. Calem and the two Pokemon with him fought off a few, but it was clear that this was going to take up far too much time when they needed to get to Geosenge.  “Let's ignore these,” he told Swift and Heinrich, then led the way to Sycamore's lab. The academy would be nearly empty, but the professor should be  there .

He was actually outside now, along with Sina and Dexio who were wearing their heroic long scarves already. Calem stepped into Sycamore's sight and pulled down the hood of his cowl to make sure he was seen. Speaking to his assistants, the professor was saying, “Got to check out the school because it might be a safe place and we need as many of those as we can get,” he finally looked at him. “Oh, Calem, there you are! Got any insight into this? We could use any information we can get.”

He nodded. “The leader of Muetra Lune is Serena; she spoke to me just now.”

“But Serena's dead,” Sina said, unnerved by that.

“So are all the ghosts taking form now,” Calem said. “But I can't be helping out here because she managed to capture Asari himself because I got all the Pokmeon they meant to sacrifice freed. She's going to use his soul, and thus all the others under his control, in order to activate AZ's machine. And I’m pretty sure Muetra Lune is just a puppet of Team Flare, so they could use Yveltal, Xerneas, or even Zygarde in that machine. I've got to get to Geosenge.”

“Right, you can get there faster than most anyone,” Sycamore said. “Be careful, Calem; we'll… hmm?”

At that point, the holocasters that he and Dexio had still activated on their own. Serena appeared there along with the Muetra Lune symbol. “It's time to say goodbye to...”

“You'd better get going,” Sycamore said.

“You all be careful too,” Calem said, then set off towards Geosenge.

Aside from a few places like hospitals that held their own generators, the landscape remained dark as they traveled. At one point, they could see the power plants near Courmarine all lit up and working at full force. Were they using electricity to supplement the machine? It wouldn't have been available back three thousand years ago. But if they could build a device to drive a specific kind of Pokemon to madness, getting an electrical interface or something shouldn't be a problem.

When he got to Geosenge, it was dark like everywhere else. The feeling of power here was much greater, though, even greater than he remembered. The power of life, death, and something else that he couldn't entirely grasp. They had all three of the legends here, somewhere underground. But the eldest Asari… his aura was meant to be undetectable, but they were connected by blood. Calem wasn't sure if it would work, but he thought for a while on how the Asari had found him before. Pull back from there to find… he got the idea of being south of town in the field of standing stones. Gong there… there were a few lanterns out of the way for some Team Flare members that were there, red suits and all.

The wretched old ghost was there too, already bound to one of the standing stones and being drained of energy. He made a pitiful figure there, appearing as such of a shadow that it seemed they had bound just the cowl there. As for those bounds, they were magical in nature. But they were formed like ropes and he had an enchanted dagger. Calem warped to the side of the stone to cut the bonds. In a snap, they were undone and the cowl fluttered to the ground.

“What the hell?” one of the Flare members said, dropping her phone and coming over.

Calem was quicker, grabbing the ghoul by the cowl and using a swiftstep to another part of town. “That's one matter settled.”

The eldest Asari brought himself up into a crouch, looking around. “Conceited fools.” Then he looked over at him. “But you, what'd you go doing that for? That's not what our powers are for.” While it was what he'd been saying all along, he seemed confused this time.

“I know you were given these artifacts to kill someone,” Calem said, trying to be stern. “But you were only to kill one person, not an entire town. There's nothing about them that is explicitly lethal. Yes, I don't use them like you did; I'm using them as intended. For the most part.”

He studied him for a moment, his form remaining more like shadow than something solid. Then he warped a short distance away, closer to one of the wooden houses. “We made a mistake in letting you care too much.”

“Hey!” Calem warped after him, following him up onto the roof.

Asari stayed up there briefly, bracing himself with his hands and feet. “I will tell you something: those stones did drain me of power and with the power of death spreading across this land, even I could lose control over the rest of the clan. But I won't stand for that happening. Even if I cannot last past this night as a result, I won't go quietly.” He vanished.

And the earth was throttled so hard that Calem could feel the house below him crumbling. He jumped off in time, landing beside Swift. She croaked in alarm and Heinrich hurried over. “What'd he do?”

“I don't...” he started to say, but then he felt death. Within the crumbling houses, deeper within the ground, in the surrounding area. To the south, the lines of monoliths flared up, shooting white pillars of light into the starry sky. Lines of red raced along the ground towards the three peaked stones in the middle of Geosenge. “Come on!” He warped out of the clouds of dust from the fallen homes.

He and his Pokemon ended up at a fallen gate to the south of town, just before the field of monoliths began. There were a number of people and Pokemon there, including those from the Pokecenter who were trying to heal up a few who had been hurt. “We have to get out of here!” a man said.

“Not into the monolith field,” Calem said, startling them as they realized he, Swift, and Heinrich were there. “That'll kill you, so many are dying out there...” he could feel the curse running powerfully through his veins. He should have stopped the eldest from doing this. However, no marks were on him yet.

“What's causing this?” someone else asked.

And they got their answer as the center of town was ripped up from beneath. The moonlight shone off what looked like a glistening crystal vine that grew and grew like it could touch the sky. For a moment, it showed writhing vines beneath, nothing that should be able to support the thing. It then lit up from within, shining like the moon above and blossoming out into a crystal lily. In particular, a copy of Mortan's lily. It sank back down and came to rest fully open with its largest petals stretching all across Geosenge, the points twelve feet off the ground. Tall pillars still stood within the center, shining ominously.

The earth stopped shaking. The monoliths were still shining and deadly. “Get over to Reflection Cavern, that should be safer,” Calem ordered the others there. He didn't feel right, but this was a time that needed action. He had to ignore his own problems. Without waiting to hear their response, he warped over to the base of the weapon.

It had torn up a large chunk of the ground, leaving some holes down into a tall chamber underneath. Over here, he could tell that the vines were really thick wires. Not quite electrical, maybe for pure magical energy? While the inside felt as ancient as the weapon itself, the outer insulation casing was new. There was an active device down below, but it was so far down that he couldn't sense it well.

On the other hand, he could see illuminated windows down one wall as if someone wanted to observe the internal chamber. “I think I can get down like Burgh climbed the rock wall,” Calem said. “I don't know if I can bring you both down that way.”

“What's down there is dangerous,” Heinrich said. “We'll retreat for the moment, but you'd better call the team out at the base. You might need us.”

Calem nodded. “All right.” Once they were back in their Pokeballs, he spent a moment studying the windows, then sent a warp point over to the thin ledge. It was a precarious position to land to, but he quickly sent the next one down and didn't let himself think on what he was doing. He got a sense for people past the windows, but wasn't able to pay attention to them.

At the bottom, he jumped off the doorframe onto a patch of floor among more large wires. Electrical power was high down here, draining the power plants of all their energy. But it was all insulated, so he felt safe in releasing his Pokemon to help him out. In the center, there was a greater fusion of ancient and new technologies. A computer terminal was hooked up to a black crystalline base; the latter controlled the weapon while the former provided a more familiar interface. The wire vines, or rather roots, extended from the base and enveloped three Pokeballs. Although the Pokemon were inside the balls as digital information, the weapon was still able to drain the three of them.

“Don't go in that area, it'll drain any of us,” Calem said, then went over to the terminal. “There has to be some way to stop it here… no Nibbles, don't try to clip the wires!”

The Pinsir mumbled something in disappointment. He couldn’t really blame her, though, since it was something she was trying on instinct. Maybe they should look for AZ here first, since he'd know. While he set on searching the aura of the place, Heinrich and Starlet got over by the base. “Yeah, I think this is the key stone.”

“Right, that would be in here,” Calem said, going over to join them. But the runes didn't seem safe. “It's electrified from the power plants being used to support it. We have to bring the power down, um,” he looked up at where the three Pokeballs where. They weren't stable in whatever was keeping them in place, bobbing around in being pushed by waves of energy. “Or maybe...it'd take… if we can get those Pokeballs out of the field there, it might slow things down. It'd need a weak attack so the balls aren't broken but… Percival! Can you throw Aerial Ace in there? Not at the Pokeballs, but close enough that it should knock them out? And let's get out of the way in case the wires get cut.”

Starlet took his hand for some help getting over the wires on the floor, but the others were able to get away on being told. Percival rose up in the air to the level the Pokeballs were floating at. After holding his blade at ready to observe, the red Aegislash slashed through the air to send his attack right through two of the wire roots and between the three Pokeballs. The wires swayed in response while the Pokeballs were swept up in the wake and pulled after the attack. All of them were drawn out of the space, along with a golden glitter. And there were four clatters on the other side.

“Good job, hope they're okay,” Calem said, letting go of Starlet's hand and leaving her there by the door while he, Heinrich, Swift, and Nibbles went after the Pokeballs. Yorick darted after the golden glitter, soon cooing over whatever he had. He left that to the Gengar and checked on the Pokeballs as he got them.

Xerneas' was dented from the fall and all three had fine cracks in them. But the status screens didn't have any error messages. As long as he released them soon, it should be fine. They were all low on health and magic, still conscious. Even though this shaft was long, he didn't think if was large enough to release Zygarde into. But he should be able to get Xerneas and Yveltal in here. Calem went ahead and released both.

It was a tight fit. Xerneas was able to stand near Calem and his Pokemon, although his antlers seemed smaller and duller than they should be. On the other hand, Yveltal got himself on the other side of the room and couldn't fully stretch his wings out. He screeched in anger and took control of the energy held within the weapon. He was able to restore himself quickly with that, then send another burst of healing energy at the Pokeball Zygarde was in.

And then he glared at Xerneas. “The last time this weapon was aboveground, it nearly wiped life off the face of this continent and caused ruin to a great many of the survivors. Now it's caused more death to get it raised, caused all three of us to suffer, and has completely wrecked the cycle of life and death. You caused this all to happen because you thought it was an entertaining notion. Will you confess now that this was all a terrible mistake and horrible idea on your part?”

“Ugh, do you have to be picky about it now?” Xerneas grumbled, still trying to steady himself. Meanwhile, Calem went over and pulled the crystal key out of the base. That should do it.

Yveltal growled, lowering his head.

Wincing, Xerneas bowed. “All right, all right. I shouldn't have allowed this to be made. And I should have been paying more attention so that some nutcase didn't get it in their head to use it again. I'm sorry. Is that better?”

“I don't think saying sorry is sufficient for this,” Yveltal said, raising himself back up and restoring Xerneas' energy. “You should go along with this young man and pay penance that way.”

Now restored, his antlers turned into a brilliant iridescent crown that cast light within the dim shaft. “What, seriously? Me serve a human? I don't serve.”

Yveltal growled again. “We'll speak to Zygarde once we're outside.” Then he looked over at Calem. “Sorry for burdening you with this trickster, but you have proven yourself honorable and noble many times over. Perhaps in keeping his power of life near, the taint of death on your power will be balanced out.”

“If I keep him, I’m gonna need to get a better Pokeball soon,” Calem said, not sure what else to say. It was one thing being asked to look after an immortal Pokemon that was a servant to the gods, but one of the gods themselves?

“You better get the best,” Xerneas said, tossing his head.

“Caaaaii!” Starlet called out, backing up towards the computer terminal. Hearing her call out loudly was unusual enough that Calem immediately turned to look at her. This let him see something bash the other side of the door so powerfully that it left a deep imprint. A second bashing broke the door down, followed up by a maddened roar. Something that looked like a Gyarados but not quite thrashed its way into the room. A Mega evolution? It now had an aura of dragons.

Calem automatically touched his mega ring. “Starlet, you got to roughhouse it!”

Emboldened by his orders, she mega evovled faster than he'd ever seen and threw herself at it with as much recklessness as it had taken out on the door. It had already been hurt by its entrance, so the Mega Gyarados was quickly thrown to the ground and knocked out. Starlet saw someone else out the door and kept an aggressive posture with her double steel jaws in front of her. Still, she held off on attacking further.

“You humans can do that now?” Xerneas asked in surprise, taking a few steps towards the door.

Calem was surprised for a moment because the mega rings were supposedly a gift from the Kalos gods. Yveltal snorted. “Forcing a mega evolution? That's a cruel thing, little wonder it was as crazed as it was. You had no control over it, Lysandre.”

“What is so cruel about awakening one's fullest potential?” Lysandre replied as he stepped into the room. He was wearing a strange machine strapped to back, one with multiple clawed arms. “Not that it matters, it was a final gambit anyhow.”

“It's cruel enough to not think it matters,” Calem said.

“So it is you,” Lysandre said, one of the arms each aimed at Xerneas and Yveltal, with the other two pointed at him. He only turned his head a bit in contrast. “You have no idea what you're doing, stopping our creation of a more beautiful world.”

“I would not recommend trying to convince those of us in this room,” Yveltal interrupted him with. “You will not find a sympathetic audience.”

“Seriously,” Calem said. He could still feel a strong hatred in him trying to break out, a strong wish to kill Lysandre. But even with the patriarch gone, he still didn't want to activate the curse. “You toyed with one of my friends even past her death, so I will not listen to you. Now we have to clean up your mess.”

“I'm not the problem here,” Lysandre claimed.

This time, he was interrupted by Xerneas laughing. “Yeah, yeah, you just keep telling yourself that. But we'll let people know who is responsible for capturing and nearly killing us.” Across the room, Yveltal growled a little. “Ahem, and also for disrupting the balance of life and death in Kalos, nearly wiping out everyone for a plan that might not have worked, yadda yadda, you get the idea. Come on, let's amscray.”

“You all go get AZ out of here,” Yveltal said. “I'm staying to make sure nobody tries any funny business with this weapon.”

“All right, revert Starlet, we need to get moving,” Calem said, most of his Pokemon retreating to their Pokeballs at his word.

“Hold on, I'm the one in charge around here,” Lysandre said, putting tones of intimidation in his voice. However, he couldn't match Yveltal's glare and growl.

“You'd better be able to run quick, boy,” Xerneas said, stamping a foot down and preparing to charge right through the Flare leader.

“Don't need to run,” Calem said, then warped out into the hall behind Lysandre. It was a large hall, enough that Xereneas should be able to get through easily (Yveltal was another story, but he could get out in his own ways). Since it was much brighter than the shaft, he closed his eyes and warped around the corner.

Xerneas came charging after him, knocking Lysandre down along the way. Despite the steps and sharp turns, he was able to make it through swiftly as well, his hooves clattering along the concrete floor. With his senses active, AZ stood out for the weight of history he bore. Calem stopped briefly outside the door leading to him. He had to shade his eyes with a hand in order to properly adjust to the lighting.

Stomping a foot down and tossing his head, Xerneas laughed. “No kidding, that's some trick you've got! If you just went barefoot, I bet nobody could tell you were coming.”

“That's the point, but I'm used to shoes,” Calem said, putting a hand on the door. “Could find a quieter pair. Now this is locked...”

“Bah, step away and let me show you how things get done,” Xerneas said. Once he did, the god made his antlers shine, then tore the door apart with his magic. “There we go, I can even put a new trick door in, heh heh.”

“Xerneas?” AZ said from inside. When Calem stepped into the room, the king was getting up. “And Calem. The weapon's active, isn't it?”

“Not now, it shouldn't be usable,” Calem said, offering him the key back. “Sorry that we haven't been able to locate Mor… Lukan yet, but Shauna is taking care of your other Pokemon now. But we should get out of here.”

“What about Yveltal and Zygarde?” AZ asked.

“I've got the Pokeballs that Team Flare put them in,” he said. “And Xerneas here. Yveltal's down keeping an eye on the machine's base, but he can retreat to me if he needs to. Haven't been able to release Zygarde yet, not enough space. But there's a lot of them in the room above, so I'm not sure how we're getting you out of here without a fight.”

“I can get us outside,” Xerneas said, making an energy ball and tossing it on his antlers.

“You're going to be cooperative?” AZ asked.

“Hey hey, no need to be skeptical,” he said, tossing the ball again then batting it onto a wall to form a portal. “Huh, they think they can capture me and do what they want with me? Well no way I'm letting that go through.”

“Yveltal told him to play nice,” Calem said, smiling a bit. AZ smiled back, even chuckled at it.

“Oh please, let's just get out of here,” Xerneas said, scuffing a hoof on the floor.

Not wanting to face the main group of Flare people, Calem nodded and waited until AZ had left to follow him through. They ended up in a wooded area to the west of Geosenge. The weapon was no longer glowing from within, but the moonlight sparkled over it. Looking over the town ruins, AZ put his hand to his chest and bowed his head. “It might be a useless monument for now, but still, so much ruin just in getting it out.”

Calem could still feel the deaths up here, unsettled feelings. “They tried to sacrifice the eldest Asari because I freed the Pokemon they meant to use. Although, he made the last push to activate happen. Well since we're out here now,” he took Zygarde's ball and released him.

He'd aimed to release outside the ring of trees, but Zygarde managed to place himself out further, on top of the rubble where he didn't knock anything more down. “Foretelling is such an annoyance, don't you think?” he asked, flexing the plates on his frills before looking down at them. “I thought it would be a moon further on, but then the actions that resulted of my foretelling, well it came sooner. Hmm, Calem? One of your Pokemon picked up something in the weapon's chamber.”

“Oh right, I didn't check on him,” Calem said, getting out the Gengar's ball. “Yorick, what'd you pick up?”

He grinned as he appeared and passed over the golden treasure, something that felt like a sacred object. With a design like a three-leaf clover it had curls and spirals holding three unpolished jewels: one blue, one red, and one yellow. As he held it, the metal slowly writhed around, keeping the jewels caged. “Eeeidai, geega,” Yorick said in delight.

“Right, that is creepy,” Xerneas said. “Don't ask me what it is, though.”

“It's a prison of sorts,” Zygarde said. Meanwhile, a black orb flew over and landed on another pile of rubble. Yveltal was there with them now. “But not for holding someone who deserved the imprisonment. Perhaps foolish, but who could have that amount of foresight? It's not like the fool of a god who made this possible.”

“Hey, I said I was sorry,” Xerneas said.

“You only feel it because it nearly consumed you,” Yveltal countered.

“Right, so I agree that you must serve this young man as his Pokemon,” Zygarde said. When Xerneas sighed and hung his head, the earth dragon added, “Set things right. Especially now that there are dead that lie beyond Yveltal's power because of your own. Put them to rest, the sooner the better. But now, that little prison, I don't like it. I don't like this weapon just sitting around either. The humans managed to give it a large amount of power with their system, could do something without even a sacrifice if they put their minds to it. Let me have that prison, and, the key?”

“Sure thing,” Calem said, holding it out. It got grasped by telekinesis and floated up to Zygarde.

“I trust you with it, Lord Zygarde,” AZ said, offering the key as well.

“Good. Now this will take some time, so you all had best go out and deal with this new plague of undead, it's especially unsanitary. As long as you can find the ringleader, destroy that miracle, and keep her outside until the sun shines down on her, they will all lose this unnatural state of being. Good luck.”

“I'll pacify the new souls here, go ahead to Lumiose,” Yveltal said before taking off into the air.

“I can help Yveltal here,” AZ said.

“Guess I have to follow orders now,” Xerneas said, looking to Calem. “To Lumiose?”

“Yes, let's go,” he said with a nod, then took off with swiftstep to get back to the city. Once he got to the gate nearest the power plants, he paused until Xerneas appeared at his side. “Serena's got your miracle flower, so you can find her, right?”

“Of course,” he said. “Such a pity, she seemed like a promising girl for some fun intrigue. Ah, but let's put her soul at peace. She's over by the big tower in the middle.”

Calem nodded and passed down the tree-lined lane towards Prism Tower, Xerneas following just behind. There were a few people there, most alive but one who was meant to be dead. Setting himself in a shadow, Calem got close enough to hear and identify who was there. As he thought, it was Serena there. But there were also his friends Shauna, Trevor, and Tierno along with Professor Sycamore trying to talk to her.

“Don't you remember all the awesome things we've done?” Shauna asked sadly. “Like when we crashed your birthday party and then went on an adventure all around Kalos, or the fashion games we'd play in thrift stores, or that one project of ours where we went to the airport to ask tourists lots of questions? We had so much fun together, all of us, and Calem too.”

“Such memories are useless,” Serena said. “I have to focus on my goal in order to achieve it.”

“But your goal is crazy!” Teirno said. “You don't have to bend all the rules backwards to make a better world.”

Xerneas came close to him and whispers, “She seems so much more uptight and that's saying something. Mind if I distract her so you can get the flower? Maybe I can even talk sense into her.”

“I wasn't able to,” Calem said. “But give it a shot.”

“Or I can talk enough nonsense that she gets confuzzled,” Xerneas mused.

Meanwhile, Serena was trying to explain how what she was doing was necessary. “There's so much ugly competition in our lives, so much pressure to compare with others and exceed unnatural boundaries. Even to get into school, we had to compete. Even our relations with Pokemon revolve around competition. There needs to be no conflict, no needs or wants, for true beauty to be able to bloom.”

“Serena, you hardly sound like yourself,” Sycamore said. “You used to live for competition and challenges. Your life was a blessing and what you have now could be a blessing as well if you turn it for good causes. And ditching the way the world is now on a wide-scale for something new is not only recklessly ambitious, but you are hurting many people along the way.”

“The pain that is now won't matter in the new world,” Serena said.

“Well I don't think you could make a beautiful new world if everyone is sad and hurting right before you kill them all!” Shauna said, stomping a foot down.

“They won't remember.”

“Now don't be so sure of that, missy,” Xerneas said, bounding into a patch of moonlight near them. “You ever make a new being? No, I know you haven't. Even those of us who know what we're doing can't guarantee that the new person won't have some impressions left by the old. Anyhow, what's with the monotone?”

“Lord Xerneas?” Serena asked, turning to him. “Were you sent to help?”

“I'm helping, but is it you I'm helping?” He chuckled.

“Xerneas, it's really you?” Trevor asked in wonder.

“Hey, no gawking,” Xerneas, making his small tail twitch.

“Really, don't be disrespectful,” Serena said.

Xerneas hopped over to her other side. “Wait, wait, see, it's more there's things to take care of now and we can deal with the wonder of my whole existence later. Like you, you were way serious when I met you, but I thought you'd have some potential if you loosened up. But now you're gone way too serious for my liking. Whatever happened to your pops?”

She turned towards him, leaving her back to Calem. “Pops? Oh, my father. That doesn't matter.”

“Are you really in there?” Xerneas said, leaning his face over close to hers. “You do realize that me being here means that the weapon's been disabled, right?”

“That can't be so,” Serena said. Almost...

“Has it been?” Shauna asked.

Xerneas nodded. “Yup, it got powered up, then the power source cut off, then it went ahead and started charging up cause they hooked it into the electrical plants, and then something way accelerated it, but then in the end we took our power back and now it's just a pretty crystal thing that'll probably get wrecked with whatever Zygarde's up to. Lysandre's plan failed.”

“It's my plan,” Serena said. While Xerneas had been talking, Calem got himself behind her. The others hadn't taken notice of him yet.

“No way, missy, I know what I saw,” Xerneas said. “And it was that guy with the Pyroar mane who captured all three of us. He set us within the ancient weapon to be slowly drained until they were ready to fully activate it. No, you were just a puppet.”

“I am following my plan,” she insisted, right as Calem cut the black miracle flower off her head. The effect of losing it was immediate as she slipped into a seated heap on the ground, her body almost limp. “I am… I...”

“Serena?” Shauna asked, taking a step closer to her in spite of having been arguing with her. Then she looked past her and saw him. “Wait, is that you Calem?”

“Yes,” he said, pulling the hood of his cowl down. “Sorry, Zygarde told us to get rid of the corrupted miracle flower, but not what it'd do to her.”

“Let me see that thing,” Xerneas said, heading towards him. Calem nodded and held the flower up for him to sniff.

“It's excellent that you managed to stop the weapon,” Sycamore said, coming over and crouching by Serena to examine her. “We were hoping we might be able to stop matters by talking with Serena once we knew she was the leader of Muetra Lune. But she was acting strange.”

Xerneas snorted and the black miracle flower crumbled to dust. “She was a shadow of her living self, like a regular ghost; she just got to keep her body. Which isn't, well keep those bandages and the body suit on her. From the look in her eye, she was compelled to act in this role. So she's not actually Serena now.”

“We have to keep her out until the sunlight touches her,” Calem said. “That'll stop the other undead creatures entirely.”

“Guess there really was no getting her back even with a miracle,” Shauna said, rubbing her eyes.

“I'm sorry, but it's best her soul gets put to rest,” he said, feeling bad about it. He went over to be more visible for reassurance. Shauna hugged him instead, shaking, so he put an arm around her.

“You have nothing to be sorry for,” Sycamore said, patting his shoulder.

“And we need to make sure Yveltal won't lynch me,” Xerneas said. “Hey but, I smell one of the miracle flowers on you.”

“Oh yeah, I have the last one,” Shauna said. She hung onto him, but shifted to take it from her shirt pocket.

“You'll only have her until dawn, but I can see to it that it brings back her real self until then,” Xerneas said. “You see to it that she takes those few hours and finishes up anything she can.”

“Really? We could convince her to talk to her parents.” She looked at the flower in thought.

“Right, but it's your choice,” Xerneas said. “Thus your responsibility to look after her for the night and make sure she sees the sun. Otherwise, the balance of life and death will keep being messed up.”

“That'd be nice, but what about the creatures wandering around attacking people?” Teirno asked.

“I can take care of that with Xerneas and Yveltal, at least put them down for now,” Calem said. “The ghosts are already dead, they won't trigger my curse to dispatch.”

“Be careful still, Calem,” Shauna said. “And see if you can come find us around dawn so you'll be with us when she goes again, okay?”

“I'll try,” he said with a nod.

“Okay then, I'll watch out for her,” Shauna said, going over and putting the miracle flower near Serena's forehead. Xerneas' antlers flickered and the white flower burst into petals, swirling around her.

Unfortunately, Xerneas said that it’d take a few minutes for her to get her bearings. And many more people were in dangers, so Calem had to take off to start fighting off the other undead. Lumiose was a large city and many of the restless dead were reanimated. He wasn't the only one fighting, though. Over the course of the night, he helped Sina and Dexio to fight off some ghouls, Wikstrom to fight off a sort of dragon made up of a wide variety of old bones, even a group of police officers who were trying to track down another of the devices that was making their living Pokemon uncontrollable.

And once he found the device, he also found another black flower. But a much more welcome one that got him worried as the tiny Pokemon was lying on the ground by a basement window. “Mortan!” he called, going over to offer a hand up. “What happened to you?”

“Oh, Calem,” he said wearily, clutching the stem of his flower and grabbing hold of his thumb to swing into his hand. “I… I had to break the Pokeball to escape. Where's AZ?”

“He's in Geosenge,” Calem said. When Mortan's eyes went wide, he added, “I got him and the other Pokemon free, we just couldn't find you. And the weapon's been deactivated so they can't use it; Zygarde took the key. Hang on, I'll get you to the Pokecenter.”

“Or I could help,” Xerneas said, catching up from the alleyways. His antlers shone and a sparkling energy surrounded Mortan. “A little, sorry, you'd better go to the center. But fancy seeing you here Luken. Where've you been all this time?”

“Serving Yveltal,” Mortan said, a little more steady. “Sorry, but I didn't want to see you either after that mess all that time ago.”

“Eh, you might've not found me cause I decided to play tree for quite a while there,” Xerneas said. “So this thing, I just smash it up to stop the noise? You go get him to be taken care of, I'll take care of this.”

“Right, that should do,” Calem said. “Hang on Mortan; I'm afraid any further explanations will have to wait.”

While he used swiftstep to get to the northern Pokecenter fast, Mortan clung to his thumb. “As long as you both are okay… I'll hang in there, this can't kill me.”

* * *

The sky was lighting up with dawn. Sweat clung to his weary limbs and Calem really wanted to take a shower and crash out for a full day. For much of the night, undead beings kept manifesting no matter how many he dispatched. At least no more strong ones had appeared in the past two hours. He was glad for the sun's arrival, but that just meant there was someone he needed to see.

He showed up in Centrico Plaza where a number of people had stuck through the night. They were here for Serena: her parents, Shauna, Teirno, Trevor, even Sycamore. Not having the strength to keep on her feet, she was sitting on one of the benches with her mother. The others had brought out a couple tables and chairs from somewhere, even some snacks and a coffee machine. Along with them, there were three strange spirits, not corrupted like the undead creatures.

Appearing in full sight of them, he pulled down the hood of his cowl to make sure they noticed. “Looks like I got here in time.”

“Are you okay, Calem?” Serena asked, carefully turning her head towards him. “You don't look so good.”

“I've just been training on Victory Road all afternoon and evening, then fighting an undead invasion all night,” he said, trying to make light of it as he smiled and came over. “I'll be fine with a shower and some sleep.”

“Well you've been doing a marvelous job, can I get you some coffee?” Sycamore asked. When he shook his head, he then said, “Water it is then, at least drink that.”

“All right,” Calem said.

“You have been amazing, we keep hearing about stuff you've been doing tonight,” Shauna said with a grin. She still had some sadness, that much was clear from her aura. But she was trying to be cheerful for Serena. “You're a real hero!”

Calem shook his head at that, about to say that he was just doing what was needed. But then the three spirits came down to them. “You are a hero, well done child of Asari.”

“Who're you?” he asked, starting to feel his weariness now that he'd stopped.

“We were goddesses from the region you call Orre now,” the blue one said. “And I'm the originator of the power that your lineage held. Zygarde released us. And you've managed to master the three gifts without killing. Where Asari's actions doomed an entire region, you helped to save this region, even the world from changing catastrophically. So before we go back to be reborn, we stayed to honor you for taking our power for what we intended. Keep them, with our forgiveness for your line and blessings for your actions.”

With that, the nature of the curse he bore, no, his whole aura, it shifted from a shadow of corrupt bloodshed to a shadow of pure rain. His cowl lost the ragged and grimy appearance to become whole, of a smokey dark gray. The dagger called itself to his hand, but straightened out and polished into something that looked more for ritual use than lethal. And while it hid under his pant hem, he was pretty sure the anklet would be a more pure silver as well.

“Th-thank you,” he said to the goddesses. “I’m not sure what else to say...”

“Come find us later on, we can talk then,” the blue spirit said, a soothing warmth in her voice. “Goodbye, for now.” They then took to the brightening sky, heading home.

“Can't argue with being called a hero now,” Sycamore said proudly, passing him a cup of water. “Congratulations on turning a curse into a blessing.”

“That can happen,” Serena said thoughtfully. “I got some time...” she held a hand out towards him. “Calem, I'm sorry. If I'd listened to you, well, just try to teach others the honor you've learned so they don't end up like me. Please?”

He came over and took her hand; it felt frail. “Of course, I promise I will.”

“Maybe I can get another chance at life from the start,” she said. “I hope I do things right then.”

And the sunlight spilled into the streets of Lumiose.

As they all had spent the whole night up, they all parted shortly afterwards to get some rest. But even though he had to push himself, Calem didn't stay in Lumiose. He left to the south with swiftstep, heading all the way back to Vaniville. Back to the house his great-grandmother had given him. The gardens were full of summer flowers already and the exterior looked recently painted. Even though it was his house, he still knocked on the door.

His father answered, already dressed for the day and not expecting this at all. “G… C-Calem? Is that you?”

“Yeah,” he said, putting a hand on the door. “It's okay, Dad. The eldest is gone for good and the goddesses freed us of the curse. So the first thing I had to do was come home.”

“Ah,” it took a moment for him to know it was true. Then he laughed and hugged him. “Wonderful. Welcome home, son.”

“I'm glad to be back,” he said, hugging him back.

_Sorry for getting emotional, recalling that moment still gets me teary-eyed._

_There isn't a lot more I can really tell that hasn't already been told. That day after, it was found that Lysandre took his own life at the failure of his plan. He still claimed that the world was doomed to complete decline, saying he couldn't face a world that would let something like this happen. However, soon we found tapes of discussions with his scientists and other top members of Team Flare, planning how to resurrect the weapon and use Muerta Lune for a cover operation when Serena showed up after her death. He escaped punishment, but his reputation will always be marred now._

_One who did get arrested and convicted was Xerostic. He claimed that they wouldn't throw him in jail due to his scientific prowess, but he was completely wrong. The judge had no sympathy for him. Lately, he's been trying to publish something, but lots of people are sure it's something dangerous._

_Oh yes, Yveltal is still awake with the other gods of Kalos. No, that's no cause for alarm. It wouldn't be even in our lifetime. See, there's been an agreement made. There's a number of powerful souls that got wrapped up in all this, including AZ and Mortan who were immortal. Those two were given some time to be together after thousands of years apart. When Yveltal's life energy runs out this time, he's going to fully claim those powerful souls instead of absorbing from the living. Right now, he's making sure certain other souls don't go out into the world and make trouble._

_The three Orre goddess got back to their homeland safely. Of course, the region is much different than it was when they were active there. After I graduated, I went there for a couple of years on a kind of internship. The people there have a very different relationship with the Pokemon gods there; no one there who knew of the three goddesses. But they're making themselves known and finding those interested in making changes._

_As for me, I finished my last year at LMA in relative quiet, graduating with honors. Of course, it's kind of hard not to graduate with honors when you're the regional Magic Champion. I had to hand off my championship to Richard before I left for Orre, in part because I wouldn't be around and he had brought himself back up into good shape. But on returning, I regained that position and now I’m both the Magic and Trainer Champion of Kalos. Although, I have a feeling Trevor will be coming up to challenge me for the Magic position sometime in the near future. And I have my eye on some Trainers who show promise as good role models. It's been a lot of work, balancing this position and doing my training for the global police._

_But I have that promise to Serena, my teachers at the academy, Korrina, and even myself, that I’d help teach people a better way to live with Pokemon. Even though I have an advantage with knowing some Pokemon who could speak our language, you can learn what your Pokemon mean by observing them and growing close. Treat your friends well, both Pokemon and humans, and you can overcome many barriers with their support._

_Thanks for listening to me for so long. I hope you understand now._


End file.
